Health News

The Risk Of Cognitive Decline In Older Adults Increased By Binge Drinking

Date: Jul-19-2012
Researchers from the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD), University of Exeter, presented the findings of a new study suggesting a link between binge drinking in older adults and the risk of developing dementia. The findings were presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2012, the world's largest gathering of dementia researchers, in Vancouver, Canada. The work is supported by the National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care in the South West Peninsula (NIHR PenCLAHRC)...

Sensation, Mobility Improved For People With Spinal Cord Injury Using Musical Glove

Date: Jul-19-2012
Georgia Tech researchers have created a wireless, musical glove that may improve sensation and motor skills for people with paralyzing spinal cord injury (SCI). The gadget was successfully used by individuals with limited feeling or movement in their hands due to tetraplegia. These individuals had sustained their injury more than a year before the study, a time frame when most rehab patients see very little improvement for the remainder of their lives. Remarkably, the device was primarily used while the participants were going about their daily routines...

UCB Launches Neupro® In The U.S. To Treat Parkinson's Disease And Restless Legs Syndrome

Date: Jul-19-2012
UCB announced today that Neupro® (Rotigotine Transdermal System) is now available in U.S. pharmacies. Neupro® was approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration in April to treat the signs and symptoms of early and advanced stage idiopathic Parkinson's disease and moderate-to-severe primary Restless Legs Syndrome. Neupro® improves motor function and activities of daily living in patients with PD and provides effective symptom relief for patients with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)...

Mortality And Morbidity Could Be Significantly Reduced By Lowering The National Ozone Standard

Date: Jul-19-2012
Establishing a more stringent ozone standard in the U.S. would significantly reduce ozone-related premature mortality and morbidity, according to a new study published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives...

New Tool 'PDXomics' For Tumor Xenograft Research And Applications

Date: Jul-19-2012
BGI, the world's largest genomics organization, has announced that it has successfully developed a new filtering tool, PDXomics, which performs accurate and specific classification of the mixed reads derived from the host and tumor xenografts. Through the full utilization of this robust tool, researchers could develop the specific patient-derived xenografts (PDX) and advance the oncology drug discovery, biomarker development and their future applications. Xenograft models serve as an important tool for many areas of biomedical research, including oncology, immunology and HIV pathology...

Structure Of Elusive, Heart-Protective Protein Defined After A 20-Year Quest

Date: Jul-19-2012
It is a cellular component so scarce, some scientists even doubted its existence, and many others gave up searching for its molecular structure. Now a team led by researchers at Johns Hopkins has defined the protein structural composition of mitoKATP, a potassium channel in the mitochondria of the heart and other organs that is known to protect against tissue damage due to a heart attack or stroke. Importantly, the newly found channel strongly improves heart cell survival, demonstrating an essential life-saving role...

Dramatic Increases In Survival From Childhood Cancer Driven By Access To Clinical Trials

Date: Jul-19-2012
More children are surviving cancer in Britain than ever before according to new research published in the cancer journal Annals of Oncology [1]. The improvement in survival has been driven by the increasing numbers taking part in clinical trials since 1977 when the UK Children's Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG) [2] was established. The UKCCSG's principal aim was to set up a comprehensive portfolio of national and international trials for the majority of children's cancers...

Nanoscale Scaffolds And Stem Cells Show Promise In Cartilage Repair

Date: Jul-19-2012
Johns Hopkins tissue engineers have used tiny, artificial fiber scaffolds thousands of times smaller than a human hair to help coax stem cells into developing into cartilage, the shock-absorbing lining of elbows and knees that often wears thin from injury or age. Reporting online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, investigators produce an important component of cartilage in both laboratory and animal models...

Increased Cancer Risk In Adulthood Faced By Children Abused By Parents

Date: Jul-19-2012
Frequent abuse by a parent can increase a child's cancer risk in adulthood, and the effects are especially significant when mothers abuse their daughters and fathers abuse their sons, according to new research from Purdue University. "People often say that children are resilient and they'll bounce back, but we found that there are events that can have long-term consequences on adult health," said Kenneth Ferraro, distinguished professor of sociology and director of Purdue's Center on Aging and the Life Course...

Association Between Physical Health Problems And Increased Use Of Mental Health Services

Date: Jul-19-2012
People who experience a physical health problem, from diabetes and back pain to cancer or heart disease, are three times more likely to seek mental health care than patients who report having no physical ailment, according to a new study by Oregon State University researchers. The study, which is now online in the journal Health Services Research, indicates there is a need for better-coordinated care between physical and mental health providers...