Health News

Sleeping longer linked to faster decline in brain function

Date: Oct-09-2013
Sleeping in regularly may not be a good idea if you want to keep your brain sharp, according to a new study that found people in their 60s and 70s who slept on average 9 hours or more in a 24-hour period showed a more rapid decline in cognitive function over 3 years than counterparts who slept 6-8 hours. Decline in cognitive function, such as memory and thinking, is a feature of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a known risk factor for dementia...

IVF technique increases pregnancy rates by 20%, study shows

Date: Oct-09-2013
It may not sound pleasant, but a procedure known as endometrial scratching has been shown to improve both pregnancy and birth rates when it is performed once in women who are undergoing reproductive treatment. Endometrial scratching is medically assisted damage to the womb, specifically the inner lining, and researchers say it was first successfully demonstrated to be beneficial in 2003. The procedure is intrusive, however, and the results of its effectiveness have not been fully documented. But a team of Brazilian scientists, in collaboration with Dr...

Findings indicate no difference in risk of death in comparison of fluid replacement therapies for critically ill patients

Date: Oct-09-2013
Djillali Annane, M.D., Ph.D., of Raymond Poincare Hospital, Garches, France, and colleagues conducted a study to compare the effects of 2 types of intravenous fluids on survival for critically ill patients in an intensive care unit.  Thousands of patients in intensive care units (ICUs) throughout the world are treated every day with intravenous fluids, mainly to restore effective blood volume and perfusion of organs. Fluid therapy includes a broad variety of products that are categorized as crystalloids and colloids: crystalloids are salts; colloids are salts and gelatin, starch or protein...

Use of statin does not improve survival among adults with ventilator-associated pneumonia

Date: Oct-09-2013
Laurent Papazian, M.D., Ph.D., of Hôpital Nord, Marseille, France, and colleagues conducted a study to determine whether statin therapy decreased day-28 mortality among intensive care unit patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia.  Observational studies have reported that statins improve outcomes of various infections. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common infection in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is diagnosed in approximately 8 to 28 percent of ICU patients receiving mechanical ventilation...

Among critically ill patients, muscle wasting occurs rapidly; more severe among those with multiorgan failure

Date: Oct-09-2013
Zudin A. Puthucheary, M.R.C.P., of University College London, England, and colleagues conducted a study to characterize and evaluate the time course and pathophysiology of acute muscle loss in critical illness.  "Survivors of critical illness experience significant skeletal muscle weakness and physical disability, which can persist for at least 5 years...

Use of beta-blocker helps achieve target heart rate level without increase in adverse outcomes among patients in septic shock

Date: Oct-09-2013
Andrea Morelli, M.D., of the University of Rome, Italy, and colleagues conducted a study to investigate the effect of the short-acting beta-blocker esmolol on the heart rate of patients with severe septic shock and high risk of death.  Septic shock is associated with adverse effects on cardiac function. Beta-blocker therapy controls heart rate and may improve cardiovascular performance, but concerns remain that this therapy may lead to cardiovascular decompensation (inability of the heart to maintain adequate circulation), according to background information in the article...

Probiotics may help some babies with colic

Date: Oct-09-2013
A first review to establish whether giving babies probiotics (Lactobacillus reuteri) is an effective way to prevent and manage colic concludes there is not enough evidence to say it does, especially in formula-fed babies. However, in the case of exclusively breastfed babies who cry excessively or have colic, it may be effective. The systematic review, which covered 12 trials involving a total of 1,825 babies up to 3 months old, was led by Dr. Valerie Sung of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the University of Melbourne, both in Australia. Dr...

Study identifies essential molecule in formation of differentiated blood cells

Date: Oct-09-2013
New research in the Journal of Experimental Medicine identifies a protein that controls the formation of different types of mature blood cells - a finding that could be important to developing new treatments for blood diseases and helping realize the potential of regenerative medicine.  Researchers from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center report their results in a study published online by the journal Oct. 7. The authors focus on a protein called RhoA, a GTPase that serves as a molecular switch in the cytoplasm of cells to control cell function...

Sunscreen saves superhero gene

Date: Oct-09-2013
Next time your kids complain about putting on sunscreen, tell them this: Sunscreen shields a superhero gene that protects them from getting cancer. It is widely accepted that sunscreen stops you from getting burnt but to date there has been academic debate about the effectiveness of sunscreen in preventing skin cancers. Now QUT has undertaken a world-first human study to assess the impact of sunscreen at the molecular level...

USC researchers to grow organs to unlock secrets of how cancer tumors grow

Date: Oct-09-2013
Using three-dimensional organ creation, Keck Medicine of University of Southern California (USC) researchers aim to discover clues to metastatic cancer growth by developing a first-ever integrated bioengineered/computational model of metastatic color cancer. David B. Agus, M.D., director of the USC Center for Applied Molecular Medicine and professor of medicine, Keck School of Medicine of USC, is the principal investigator of a $2.3 million, four-year "Provocative Questions" grant awarded recently by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)...