Day August 1, 2013

Even early stages of kidney disease come with steep medical costs, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The study found that expenses related to moderate chronic kidney…

Mark Ormrod, 30, lost both his legs and an arm when he stood on an IED He has now been given £115,000 prosthetic legs called Genium limbs They allow him to walk up slopes and well as to climb stairs…

Basic personal care ‘stops children losing essential nutrients vital to grow’ Could cut prevalence of stunted growth by 15%, says first study of its kind Condition irreversibly affects an estimated 165million children worldwide Examined studies in 14 countries including Ethiopia,…

Other forms of pressure came from the media and members of the family Expert said findings were ‘concerning’  and that ‘women are under unnecessary pressure when coping with huge physical changes’ Many new mothers didn’t realise they would be left…

After exposure to natural light-dark cycle people find it easier to fall asleep They also find it easier to get up and are more alert in the mornings People’s body clocks are currently out of synch because of electric lighting…

A boost in the speed of brain scans is unveiling new insights into how brain regions work with each other in cooperative groups called networks. Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Institute of Technology…

A trace substance in caramelized sugar, when purified and given in appropriate doses, improves muscle regeneration in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The findings are published today, Aug. 1, in the journal Skeletal Muscle. Morayma Reyes, professor of…

Ultrasound treatments may prevent acute kidney injury that commonly arises after major surgery, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). The findings suggest that this simple and noninvasive…

Researchers have discovered how an experimental drug is capable of completely eradicating human lymphoma in mice after just five doses. The study, led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College, sets the stage for testing the drug in clinical trials…

Three women have contracted the deadly MERS virus in Saudi Arabia, which has been hardest hit by the enigmatic disease, the World Health Organisation said Thursday. One of the patients is a 67-year-old woman from Riyadh with underlying medical conditions,…

A team of neuroscientists has identified a protein in laboratory mice linked to impairments similar to those afflicted with Angelman syndrome (AS)—a condition associated with symptoms that include autism, intellectual disability, and motor abnormalities. The findings appear in the journal…

New blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) stimulates the growth of cancer and other diseases. Anti-angiogenic inhibitors slow down cancer growth by disrupting the blood supply to the tumor. To date, the success of these treatments is limited by resistance, poor efficiency…

Researchers have reverse-engineered the outlines of a disrupted prenatal gene network in schizophrenia, by tracing spontaneous mutations to where and when they likely cause damage in the brain. Some people with the brain disorder may suffer from impaired birth of…

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have made a fundamental discovery relevant to the understanding and treatment of heart failure – a leading cause of death worldwide. The team discovered a new…

A team of researchers says it has solved the longstanding puzzle of why a key protein linked to learning is also needed to become addicted to cocaine. Results of the study, published in the Aug. 1 issue of the journal…

Bone integrity requires skeletal remodeling, which involves both bone formation and resorption. It has been previously shown that the formation of new bone is triggered by degradation of older bone. However, it is unknown how these two processes coordinate for…

Blocking dietary sugar and its activity in tumor cells may reduce cancer risk and progression, according to researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine. The study, conducted in fruit flies and published in the journal Cell, provides insight as to…

Scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson who identified a protein’s dual role in cancer promotion have discovered a way to shut it down, opening a potential new avenue for cancer treatment. Reporting this week in the journal Cell,…

McMaster University researchers have revealed the location of human blood stem cells that may improve bone marrow transplants. The best stem cells are at the ends of the bone. It is hoped this discovery will lead to lowering the amount…

(HealthDay)—For patients with smoldering multiple myeloma, treatment with lenalidomide plus dexamethasone correlates with delayed progression and improved survival, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. María-Victoria Mateos, M.D., Ph.D., from…

When it comes to lung transplants, bigger may be better. That’s the main finding from a University of Iowa study, which found that oversized lungs lead to improved survival following lung transplants, particularly among patients receiving double-lung transplants. Currently, in…

A study of two sets of 894 matched Emergency Department (ED) patients presenting with chest pain revealed that the use of coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) led to fewer hospital admissions and shorter ED stays. According to lead researcher Michael…

Uruguay’s lower house Wednesday approved a controversial bill which for the first time would put a government in charge of production and distribution of legal marijuana. The bill, unveiled in June 2012 as part of a series of measures to…

Nepal on Thursday banned the sale of chicken after health workers found cases of bird flu at several poultry farms on the outskirts of the capital Kathmandu, officials said. Officials at Kathmandu District Animal Health Office said the government had…

Australia will hike tobacco taxes by 12.5 percent per year over the next four years to boost its coffers and build on its plain packaging campaign against smoking, the government said Thursday. The excise increase will reap some Aus$5.3 billion…

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is partnering with the Institute for Family Health to launch the first-ever genetic testing program in the primary care setting to identify genetic risk for kidney disease in patients with hypertension. The…

Dozens of people were rushed off a Qantas flight for medical treatment in Sydney on Thursday after a stomach bug struck mid-journey, triggering a mass vomiting episode. Qantas said a “number of passengers travelling in the same group on QF28…

A group of experts at the National Cancer Institute is recommending sweeping changes in the approach to cancer detection and treatment, including dropping the word “cancer” completely from some common diagnoses. For example, the recommendations suggest that some premalignant conditions—like…

The Washington Post’s Fact Checker finds a recent Obamacare poll by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce presented data “in a highly misleading way,” while a memo by President Barack Obama’s pollster asserts that GOP efforts to repeal the health law…

Novocure today announced that Dr. Tatsunori Okamaura, MD, Ph.D., of the Kashiwaba Neurosurgical Hospital in Sapporo, Japan has treated the first patient in Japan with alternating electric field therapy. Dr. Okamaura is using NovoTTF Therapy to treat a recurrent glioblastoma tumor, the…

US National Security Advisor Susan Rice called for more “eureka moments” and “unorthodox partnerships” on Wednesday, as she addressed scientists working on decreasing infant and maternal mortality in poor countries. Researchers, many of whom were finalists for a competitive USAID…

Emma and Stacey Picken have the rare skin condition lamellar ichthyosis They lose an estimated four stone of skin every year between them They have to apply cream to their whole bodies twice a day The condition causes their skin…

By Fiona Macrae PUBLISHED: 20:40 EST, 30 July 2013 |UPDATED: 01:36 EST, 31 July 2013 Eating the glucoraphanin-rich broccoli led to improvements in the various chemical reactions that go on inside the ‘batteries’ in cells Next time your child asks…

Until last year Thomas McIntyre, weighed 31st and had a 74-inch waist He would eat enormous meals – a typical breakfast would consist of four large sausage rolls, a packet of crisps, a chocolate bar and a bottle of cola…

You know that a sleepless night can leave you sluggish and grouchy the next day. But if you’re expecting, missing out on a good night’s rest isn’t just bad for your mood—it can also affect your baby. Pregnant women who…

Roughnecks build a drilling rig at the MEG Energy site near Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. In addition to large, open-pit mining operations, tar sands oil can be extracted from the ground by pumping down high-pressure steam. Michael S. Williamson/The Washington…

Medical researchers at the University of Alberta recently published findings showing that brain development is delayed throughout childhood and adolescence for people born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Christian Beaulieu and Carmen Rasmussen, the two primary investigators in the…

The offshore wind farm in the North Sea near Borkum, Germany, is nearly complete. The Riffgat facility, seen here on June 23, includes 30 turbines, each with a generating capacity of 3.6 megawatts. David Hecker/Getty Images A Rhode Island company…

Enlarge image i Women in a recent study who were trying to diet ate about 60 percent less chocolate after smelling oranges. GrenouilleFilms Women in a recent study who were trying to diet ate about 60 percent less chocolate after…

Research published in JAMA Pediatrics this week shows a causal relationship between breastfeeding and higher IQ by the time a child is seven years old. Put simply, longer breastfeeding appears to make for smarter children. This is just another piece…