Health News

Can cleaner cooking fuels and kitchen ventilation reduce lung disease?

Date: Mar-26-2014
New research published in PLOS Medicine looks at the risk of lung disease among Chinese villagers and finds that improving cooking fuels and kitchen ventilation may boost lung function and reduce chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Yesterday, Medical News Today reported on a new study by the World Health Organization (WHO), which found that, globally, 4.3 million deaths each year are as a result of indoor air pollution from cooking over coal, wood and biomass stoves.

Sperm quality and male fertility

Date: Mar-26-2014
The process of producing high-quality, fertile sperm requires many steps. A study in The Journal of Cell Biology shows how the transcription factor p73 promotes this process by regulating the adhesions between developing sperm and their support cells.The p53 family of transcription factors has an ancient and well-conserved function in protecting reproductive cells. In mammals, for example, p63 promotes the death of eggs and sperm that have sustained DNA damage, and female mice lacking p73 are infertile due to defects in egg development.

Potential for future prevention of prion conversion and disease using heparin

Date: Mar-26-2014
Prions are infectious agents responsible for neurodegenerative diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalitis (commonly known as "mad cow disease") and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.Since the discovery in the 60s that an incurable and fatal disease could be caused by an infectious agent formed by nothing but converted misfolded proteins, the mechanisms responsible for the conversion of a normal prion protein into its infectious counterpart - the scrapie prion - have been relentlessly investigated.

More spent on private health insurance by Canadians for smaller payouts

Date: Mar-26-2014
Spending by Canadians on private health insurance has more than doubled over the past 20 years, but insurers paid out a rapidly decreasing proportion as benefits, according to a study published in the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).The study, by University of British Columbia and University of Toronto researchers, shows that overall Canadians paid $6.8 billion more in premiums than they received in benefits in 2011.Approximately 60 per cent of Canadians have private health insurance.

For nonsurgical prostate artery embolization, prostate size, severe symptoms not a barrier to success

Date: Mar-26-2014
Shrinking the prostate without surgery can provide long-term relief to men with this common condition that causes annoying symptoms, such as frequent trips to the bathroom, suggests a study of nearly 500 men. According to research being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 39th Annual Scientific Meeting, 72 percent of men experienced symptom improvement three years after having a new, minimally invasive, image-guided treatment performed by interventional radiologists called prostate artery embolization (PAE).

Vertebral augmentation device may offer first new treatment option in a decade for individuals with compression fractures

Date: Mar-26-2014
Individuals suffering from spinal fractures - caused by osteoporosis or weakened bones - now have another option to reduce pain, restore function and improve quality of life, according to a study of 300 patients treated with a new type of vertebral augmentation. Results of a randomized, controlled multicenter trial on a new implant treatment for vertebral compression fractures are being reported for the first time at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 39th Annual Scientific Meeting.

Video glasses distract patients during procedures, keep them calm

Date: Mar-26-2014
Music may soothe the soul, but it takes video to calm a patient undergoing medical treatment, notes a study in which individuals watched television shows or movies through special video glasses while having a biopsy or other minimally invasive treatment. The research is being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 39th Annual Scientific Meeting.Although interventional radiology treatments offer less risk, less pain and less recovery time compared to open surgery, patients nonetheless may be anxious about them and their outcomes.

Minimally invasive treatment may slow disease progression of metastatic breast cancer in liver while maintaining quality of life

Date: Mar-26-2014
A minimally invasive treatment that delivers cancer-killing radiation directly to tumors shows promise in treating breast cancer that has spread to the liver when no other treatment options remain, according to research being presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 39th Annual Scientific Meeting. In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers reviewed treatment outcomes of 75 women (ages 26-82) with chemotherapy-resistant breast cancer liver metastases, which were too large or too numerous to treat with other therapies.

Uneven progress among counties emphasizes the need for expanded tobacco control

Date: Mar-26-2014
Nationally, smoking rates have decreased since 1996, but the declines have been driven by a relatively small share of counties across the US, according to new research from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington.The study, "Cigarette smoking prevalence in US counties: 1996-2012," was published in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal Population Health Metrics.

Weight loss: counting calories more important than 'eating little and often'

Date: Mar-26-2014
For weight loss, popular diets advocate everything from eating according to your blood type to nearly fasting for 2 days a week. Now, one popular instruction - to eat small but frequent meals throughout the day - has been called out by researchers, who say it does not boost metabolism or encourage weight loss.In fact, the research - presented today at the Society for Endocrinology annual BES conference - suggests counting calories is all that really matters when it comes to losing weight.Obesity has become a growing public health concern in recent decades.