Health News

Pica And Geophagy: Unearthing A Hidden Dietary Behavior

Date: Oct-26-2012
Though it was identified as a disorder as early as the 14th century, pica, or the eating of non-food items, has for years believed to be all but non-existent in a few corners of the globe - a 2006 study that reviewed research on pica found just four regions - the South of South America, Japan, Korea and Madagascar - where the behavior had never been observed. A new Harvard study, however, is showing that pica - and particularly geophagy, or the eating of soil or clay, is far more prevalent in Madagascar, and may be more prevalent worldwide, than researchers previously thought...

Resveratrol Does Not Benefit Healthy Women

Date: Oct-26-2012
Although a red wine ingredient, known as resveratrol, has been known to reduce the risk of heart disease, improve insulin sensitivity, and increase longevity, these benefits are not seen in healthy women. The finding, published in Cell Metabolism, came from a team of researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis after observing 29 women who did not have type 2 diabetes, had already gone through menopause, and who were fairly healthy overall...

For Patients Who Have Lost Their Voices, Voice Prostheses Can Help

Date: Oct-26-2012
Help is on the way for people who suffer from vocal cord dysfunction. Researchers are developing methods that will contribute to manufacturing voice prostheses with improved affective features. For example, for little girls who have lost their voices, the improved artificial voice devices can produce age-appropriate voices, instead of the usual voice of an adult male...

A Positive Attitude Can Reverse Health Risks In Seniors

Date: Oct-26-2012
As adults grow older and lonelier, they are at a greater risk for health problems. However, older adults who can tackle life with a positive outlook can change their negative health issues, which are linked to a lonely life, according to a new article published in Psychosomatic Medicine. An earlier study done in the UK has established that aging seniors who enjoy life more and are not socially isolated will live longer. Those surrounded by families, partners, and positive events such as hobbies were seen to have a long life...

Prasugrel May Benefit Patients Triaged To Medical Therapy Following Angiography

Date: Oct-26-2012
Prasugrel, a novel anti-platelet therapy, is used to prevent recurrent cardiovascular events in patients who have had a prior heart attack, suffer severe chest pain and have been treated with coronary artery procedures (revascularization). Recent results from a large clinical trial, the TRILOGY ACS study that focused on the effectiveness and safety of prasugrel in high-risk patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who are medically managed without revascularization, found a neutral effect (failed to show a reduction in major cardiovascular events compared with clopidogrel)...

Results Of The MASTER Trial Reported At TCT 2012: Mesh-Covered Stents In PCI

Date: Oct-26-2012
A clinical trial found that the use of a next generation, micronet, mesh-covered stent demonstrated improved restoration of blood flow to heart tissue, compared to the use of either bare-metal or drug-eluting stents in heart attack patients undergoing angioplasty. Results of the MASTER trial were presented at the 24th annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium and will appear in the November 6th issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology...

Colorectal Cancer Patients With Gene Mutation Live Longer With Aspirin Therapy

Date: Oct-26-2012
Aspirin therapy can extend the life of colorectal cancer patients whose tumors carry a mutation in a key gene, but has no effect on patients who lack the mutation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists report in the New England Journal of Medicine. In a study involving more than 900 patients with colorectal cancer, the researchers found that, for patients whose tumors harbored a mutation in the gene PIK3CA, aspirin use produced a sharp jump in survival: five years after diagnosis, 97 percent of those taking aspirin were still alive, compared to 74 percent of those not using aspirin...

LncRNAs Associated With Inherited Conditions

Date: Oct-26-2012
LncRNAs (pronounced "link") are long non-coding RNAs that are emerging as important regulators of gene expression in biological processes and diseases. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, two papers connect lncRNAs to inherited conditions in humans. Sylvia Bähring and colleagues at the Experimental and Clinical Research Center in Berlin found a chromosomal translocation that disrupts the expression of a lncRNA. This disruption alters the expression of the genes PTHLH and SOX9 and results in brachydactyly, an inherited malformation of the fingers and toes...

Pancreatic Cancer Discovery Offers New Hope For Patients

Date: Oct-25-2012
A set of mutated genes responsible for causing pancreatic cancer have been discovered by Australian researchers and revealed in a new study published in the journal Nature. This is the first time a collaboration of the world's best experts has been carried out to determine the genetic factors that influence 50 different types of cancer. According to the report, pancreatic cancer accounts for more deaths than any other major type of cancer. Survival rates have not improved over the last 40 years, acting as the fourth-leading cause of death from cancer...

"Googling" Strengthens Doctor-Patient Relationship

Date: Oct-25-2012
Before paying a visit to a (GP) general practitioner, searching on the Internet to try and find out what is wrong can actually help patients benefit more from the consultation. The finding, published in the British Journal of General Practice, came from a team of experts from University College London. According to a previous study, patients search online to receive more education on their illnesses, even though they trust their doctor's instructions...