Health News

Early implementation of ultrasound training into medical education programs suggested

Date: Jan-27-2014
A paper in this month's edition of Global Heart (the journal of the World Heart Federation advocates including ultrasound in medical education programmes to realise the full benefits of the technology as early as possible. The review is by J. Christian Fox, Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine and Director of Instructional Ultrasound at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine, CA, USA, and colleagues.

Ultrasound recommended in areas other than cardiology

Date: Jan-27-2014
A paper in this month's edition of Global Heart (the journal of the World Heart Federation) says there is mounting evidence regarding the utility of ultrasound in areas outside its traditional field of cardiology, with increasing use reported in general hospital wards, clinics, and even pre-hospital environments. The paper is by Associate Professor Bret Nelson and Dr Amy Sanghvi of Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA."The pervasive use of focused ultrasound is perhaps most evident in the advent of ultrasound training in undergraduate medical curricula," say the authors.

Surprising research results for one type of omega-3 fatty acid: DHA

Date: Jan-27-2014
A study of the metabolic effects of omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, concludes that these compounds may have an even wider range of biological impacts than previously considered, and suggests they could be of significant value in the prevention of fatty liver disease.The research, done by scientists at Oregon State University and several other institutions, was one of the first of its type to use "metabolomics," an analysis of metabolites that reflect the many biological effects of omega-3 fatty acids on the liver.

Genetic changes mapped that drive tumors in a common pediatric soft-tissue cancer rhabdomyosarcoma

Date: Jan-27-2014
Scientists have mapped the genetic changes that drive tumors in rhabdomyosarcoma, a pediatric soft-tissue cancer, and found that the disease is characterized by two distinct genotypes. The genetic alterations identified in this malignancy could be useful in developing targeted diagnostic tools and treatments for children with the disease. The study, by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and their colleagues, appeared in the journal Cancer Discovery.

Obesity rates stabilized by better eating habits, not bad economy

Date: Jan-27-2014
All those people who've been telling us for years that we should eat more healthy foods and cut our calories - stop, take a moment, and celebrate.It appears that we actually listened.A new, extensive study from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health says that it wasn't the Great Recession or any economic downturn that created a leveling of U.S. obesity rates (with some declines in certain subpopulations), as other scholars have suggested.

What are the health benefits of grapes?

Date: Jan-27-2014
Red grapes, green grapes, purple grapes, seedless grapes, grape jelly, grape jam, grape juice... the ways to consume grapes are endless! And don't forget wine and raisins! This popular fruit's history goes back as far as 8,000 years, when grape vines were first cultivated in what is now the Middle East.It may surprise you to hear that the humble grape is actually considered to be a berry. Seventy-two million tons of these berries are grown each year worldwide, with most of them being used to produce wine - 7.2 trillion gallons of wine per year, to be exact.

Practicing with a partner improves performance, study shows

Date: Jan-27-2014
We all know the saying, "practice makes perfect." But new research suggests that a skill can benefit from even greater improvement if a person is practicing it with a partner. This is according to a study recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.The research team from Imperial College London in the UK, alongside two institutions in Japan, says their findings may be able to help patients in rehabilitation after suffering a stroke.The investigators conducted a series of experimental sessions with 68 volunteers.

Music therapy improves coping skills in young cancer patients

Date: Jan-27-2014
A new study has found that a form of music therapy, which involves writing song lyrics and producing videos, is beneficial in helping young cancer patients develop coping skills.Being diagnosed with and undergoing treatment for cancer can be a very traumatic experience, especially for young people. But fighting to maintain a positive outlook and having strong family and social relationships is known to have a beneficial effect on treatment.

Leukemia pill 'can melt away' cancer cells

Date: Jan-27-2014
According to the National Cancer Institute, there were an estimated 48,610 new cases of leukemia last year, with 23,720 deaths from the condition. Now, new research suggests that a pill taken twice daily could turn the blood cancer into a treatable disease and allow patients to avoid chemotherapy.The team, led by researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, focused their research on chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) - the second most common form of the disease among adults.

Rivals' relative expression levels in cancer cells could be biomarkers for prognosis, treatment

Date: Jan-27-2014
Consider two drivers, each with a key that fits the same car. Driver 1 wants simply to turn on the ignition and leave the vehicle idling, ready and waiting to roll. Driver 2 wants to take it on a destructive joy ride.Such is the case with two proteins identified by scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center that fit on to the same binding site on an important cellular growth factor receptor called FGFR2 with starkly different results.