Health News

Risk Of Diabetes In Women May Be Increased By Chemicals In Personal Care Products

Date: Jul-16-2012
A study lead by researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) shows an association between increased concentrations of phthalates in the body and an increased risk of diabetes in women. Phthalates are endocrine disrupting chemicals that are commonly found in personal care products such as moisturizers, nail polishes, soaps, hair sprays and perfumes. They are also used in adhesives, electronics, toys and a variety of other products...

Unproven Added Benefit Of Collagenase For Dupuytren's Contracture

Date: Jul-16-2012
Drug manufacturer presented unsuitable data on appropriate comparator therapies specified by the G-BA Collagenase extracted from Clostridium histolyticum (trade name: Xiapex®) was approved in the beginning of 2011 for the treatment of people with Dupuytren's contracture. In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the "Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products" (AMNOG), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether collagenase offers an added benefit in comparison with conventional regimens...

Developing Countries Likely To Benefit From Inexpensive Paper-Based Diabetes Test

Date: Jul-16-2012
The latest episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS') award-winning Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions podcast series describes a new, inexpensive paper-based device designed for diabetes testing in rural areas of developing countries. Based on a report by Jan Lankelma, Ph.D., and colleagues in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry, the podcast is available without charge at iTunes and from Global Challenges. It explains the need for less-expensive methods to help people with diabetes monitor their blood sugar levels...

Using Your Eyes To Control Your Computer

Date: Jul-16-2012
Millions of people suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries or amputees could soon interact with their computers and surroundings using just their eyes, thanks to a new device that costs less than £40. Composed from off-the-shelf materials, the new device can work out exactly where a person is looking by tracking their eye movements, allowing them to control a cursor on a screen just like a normal computer mouse...

Football Players At College At High Risk For Concussions

Date: Jul-16-2012
As interest in concussion rates and prevention strategies at all levels continues to grow, one population that appears to have increasing head injury rates is collegiate football players. Research presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Annual Meeting in Baltimore highlights that the concussion rate in three college football programs has doubled in recent years...

Does Becoming A Doctor Pay Off For Women?

Date: Jul-16-2012
Women who go to medical school just for the financial rewards of being a doctor could be making a mistake, according to a study published in the Journal of Human Capital. The research found that after factoring in the high upfront costs of becoming a doctor, most women primary-care doctors would have made more money over their careers becoming physician assistants instead. For the median man on the other hand, becoming a doctor pays a substantial premium over becoming a PA. Two factors drive the results, say the study's authors, M...

Transcription Factor Ajuba Regulates Stem Cell Activity In The Heart During Embryonic Development

Date: Jul-16-2012
It is not unusual for babies to be born with congenital heart defects. This is because the development of the heart in the embryo is a process which is not only extremely complex, but also error-prone. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research in Bad Nauheim have now identified a key molecule that plays a central role in regulating the function of stem cells in the heart. As a result, not only could congenital heart defects be avoided in future, but new ways of stimulating the regeneration of damaged hearts in adults may be opened up...

Stimulant Marketed As 'Natural' In Sports Supplement Actually Of Synthetic Origin

Date: Jul-16-2012
A new study published in the journal Drug Testing and Analysis found that DMAA, a stimulant often found in many nutritional and sports supplements, does not originate from natural substances and is actually comprised of synthetic compounds. The substance DMAA (1,3-dimethylamylamine) is a stimulant existing in various pre-workout supplements and often labeled as part of geranium plants. The safety and origin of DMAA in these supplements is often the subject of intense debate and has been recently linked to the death of two U.S...

Is Acetazolamide Effective And Safe For Preventing Acute Mountain Sickness?

Date: Jul-16-2012
Although acetazolamide is widely prescribed to prevent and treat acute mountain sickness (AMS), the appropriate dose at which it is effective and safe has not been clearly defined. A comprehensive review and meta-analysis of 24 studies comparing the efficacy and risks associated with increasing doses of acetazolamide is published in High Altitude Medicine & Biology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free online at the High Altitude Medicine & Biology website...

Study Shows Why Hypertension Increases Damage To Eyes Of Diabetic Patients

Date: Jul-16-2012
Hypertension frequently coexists in patients with diabetes. A new University of Georgia study shows why the co-morbid conditions can result in impaired vision. "Results showed early signals of cell death in eyes from diabetic animals within the first six weeks of elevated blood pressure...