Health News

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention treats heart attack patients more quickly

Date: Feb-01-2014
Expansion in the use of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) - the minimally invasive surgery performed on heart patients instead of using drugs - is seeing more patients with acute coronary syndromes treated more quickly, according to the latest National Audit of PCI (covering 2012).PCI mechanically improves blood flow to the heart using stents and can be used to relieve the symptoms of angina, prevent and treat heart attacks. When used to treat heart attack patients, the procedure is called primary PCI.

Common cell-cycle biomarkers in both lung and bladder cancers

Date: Feb-01-2014
A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the journal PLoS ONE shows that bladder and lung cancers are marked by shared differences in the genetics that control the cell cycle. Measuring these genetic signatures could allow doctors to refine a patient's prognosis, choose appropriate treatments, and perhaps offer new treatments that target these shared genetic abnormalities.

New cream with silver nanoparticles could block HIV transmission

Date: Feb-01-2014
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1.1 million people in the US are infected with human immunodeficiency virus. But new research has detailed the creation of a cream that has proved effective against transmission of the infection in laboratory tests.Previous research from the University of Texas, in collaboration with the University of Monterrey in Mexico, found that silver nanoparticles may be able to stop transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Emotional impact of nightmares 'rarely due to fear,' study shows

Date: Feb-01-2014
Many of us have woken up in a sweat in the middle of the night as a result of a nightmare. And those are the dreams that tend to stick with us. Now, new research suggests that nightmares are more likely to impact us emotionally through feelings of sadness, confusion and guilt, rather than fear.This is according to a study recently published in the journal Sleep.Dreams are defined as a series of involuntary images, thoughts and sensations that take place in a person's mind during sleep.

What are the health benefits of celery?

Date: Feb-01-2014
Celery is a vegetable belonging to the Apiaceae family. It is well known for its crunchy stalks, which people often consume as a low calorie snack.However, celery is not only a good low calorie food. There are a number of other reasons why you might want to include this vegetable in your diet.Celery is thought to be beneficial for the digestive tract and cardiovascular system.In addition, the seeds of the plant are also commonly used in medicine to help relieve pain.

Addressing cancer and health disparity issues: University of Maryland study

Date: Feb-01-2014
Robust partnerships between rural community health education centers and academic health care institutions can make substantial strides toward addressing race-, income- and geographically-based health disparities in underserved communities by empowering both the community and leading University institutions, according to newly published research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine.University of Maryland Medical Researcher Claudia R.

HIV's secret life in gut revealed

Date: Jan-31-2014
One of the first things HIV does when it first enters the body is mess up the gut. Now, the open access journal PLOS Pathogens reports the first 3D ultra-structural study of the human immunodeficiency virus in a live host.The human gut has the highest concentration of HIV target immune cells, most of which the virus destroys within days of infection. This happens even before a measurable drop of immune CD4 T cells occurs in the bloodstream.

Antioxidants may speed up lung cancer progression

Date: Jan-31-2014
Numerous studies have shown that antioxidants may halt cancer progression. But a new study from researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden has found that antioxidants may actually speed up the progression of lung cancer.The findings are published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.Antioxidants are chemicals that are present in some pharmaceuticals, foods and nutritional supplements.In the body, antioxidants interact with free radicals and neutralize them. Free radicals are chemicals that can potentially harm cells.

Thirdhand smoke linked to liver, lung and skin problems

Date: Jan-31-2014
While the physical evidence of secondhand smoke can be seen wafting through the air, thirdhand smoke is a more clandestine health threat. The invisible remnant of tobacco smoke that clings to surfaces and even dust, thirdhand smoke is linked to several adverse health effects in a new study published in PLOS ONE.According to the researchers, from the University of California-Riverside (UCR), tobacco smoke affects around 1.5 billion smokers worldwide, but several billion more are at an "underappreciated health risk" from cigarette smoke exposure.

Medical Device Packaging Conference, April 28-29, 2014, Alexandria, Virginia

Date: Jan-31-2014
The inaugural Medical Device Packaging Conference will take place April 28-29 in Alexandria, Virginia, offering packaging engineers an exclusive opportunity to obtain the most up-to-date information from some of the biggest names in the industry. Conference topics such as regulatory guidelines, UDI requirements, sustainability and sterilization practices and creating easy-to-use packaging for the end user are scheduled and ample networking opportunities will be readily available.