Health News

Highly sensitive system detects individual molecules for medical diagnostics

Date: Dec-20-2013
Medical diagnostics is searching for substances capable of documenting early on whether a serious disease is developing or what its course will be. In many cases, the treacherous molecules are present only in trace amounts - which is why extremely sensitive methods of detection are urgently needed. Now, researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), along with scientists from Potsdam and Berlin, have come up with a new method of detection, which has allowed them to notice the presence of only 17 dye molecules.

Improved scheduling of emergency surgery using new classification system

Date: Dec-20-2013
Researchers in Finland have implemented a classification system for emergency operations that allows for a fair and efficient way to manage a large volume of such surgery. The system is described in a special issue of the BJS (British Journal of Surgery) that focuses on emergency surgery. Other studies in the issue focus on topics ranging from advances in the use of surgery performed through natural orifices to the global burden of conditions requiring emergency surgery.

Researchers create method to target and kill harmful bacteria

Date: Dec-20-2013
Scientists say they have developed a way to kill only the harmful bacteria present in Escherichia coli, leaving the "good" bacteria that help strengthen and protect our immune system to do their job. This is according to a study published in the journal Applied Catalysis B: Environmental.It is well known that infection and disease can be caused by exposure to viruses, bacteria and fungi. These contain harmful microorganisms that can lead a person to suffer severe illnesses, such as food poisoning, enteritis and urinary tract infections.

Total smoking bans effectively help smokers quit, study shows

Date: Dec-19-2013
To protect nonsmokers, many cities have banned smoking in public places, but a recent study shows that total smoking bans - in the home or public places - help smokers to cut back or quit completely.The researchers, from the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine, published their results in the journal Preventive Medicine.Dr. Wael K. Al-Delaimy, from UCSD and study author, says that California was the very first state to ban public smoking in certain places in 1994.

New technique for reducing postoperative pain in children

Date: Dec-19-2013
Children who have had major urological procedures benefited postoperatively from locally infused anesthetics delivered using the ON-Q pain relief system, researchers from the Children's Hospital of Orange County say. The results, published in the Journal of Pediatric Urology, also showed that the kids experienced less postoperative pain, needed fewer narcotic interventions and enjoyed a shortened recovery time.A total of 40 children were chosen for the study, all of whom were undergoing major urological operations.

Promising results for personalized brain tumor vaccine

Date: Dec-19-2013
New research details an experimental vaccine that could help improve the survival of patients with a lethal brain tumor called glioblastoma mutiforme, compared with standard care alone. This is according to a study published in the journal Neuro-Oncology.According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, glioblastoma mutiforme (GBM) accounts for around 15% of all brain tumors, with onset being most common between the ages of 45 and 70.

RoHS2 Compliance for Medical Devices Webinar, 11th February 2014

Date: Dec-19-2013
This will be a 2-3 hour webinar for representatives from medical device companies who are tasked with compliance to the upcoming Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) 2 directive deadline in July 2014. The directive reflects small, but important changes in definitions to EEE and the scope of materials which are now not allowed to be in new products coming to the market in Europe.

Stress-sensitivity gene linked to heart attacks, death

Date: Dec-19-2013
New research finds that a gene change already linked to stress is also tied to a 38% higher risk of heart attack or death in people with heart disease.Researchers from the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, suggest the finding explains the biology behind why some people may be more susceptible to cardiovascular disease and death.They report their findings in the online journal PLOS ONE.The team hopes this means there is a good chance the discovery will lead to drugs and behavior change treatments that reduce disability and deaths from heart attack.

Will we have a flu-free Christmas? UK reporting half the number of flu cases compared to this time last year

Date: Dec-19-2013
Preliminary results from the first month of the Flusurvey run by scientists at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine indicate that flu is yet to take hold of the UK, with just 6,000 cases per 100,000 people reported, compared to 12,000 cases per 100,000 people for the same period in 2012.Findings from http://www.flusurvey.org.uk/ show that where some cases of influenza-like illness have been reported, the highest rates were on the South East Coast, followed by Scotland and Wales.

DNA motor 'walks' along nanotube, transports tiny particle

Date: Dec-19-2013
Researchers have created a new type of molecular motor made of DNA and demonstrated its potential by using it to transport a nanoparticle along the length of a carbon nanotube.The design was inspired by natural biological motors that have evolved to perform specific tasks critical to the function of cells, said Jong Hyun Choi, a Purdue University assistant professor of mechanical engineering.