Ear News and Research

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Cholesterol affects your hearing

Levels of cholesterol in the membranes of hair cells in the inner ear can affect your hearing, said a consortium of researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University and Purdue University in a report in the print edition of The Journal of Biological Chemistry.

17 Dec 2007

Physicians seek strategies to improve the quality of sleep in ICU

The sleep patterns of patients in the intensive care unit are so superficial that they barely spend any time in the restorative stages of sleep that aid in healing, UT Southwestern Medical Center physicians have found.

10 Dec 2007

Hearing damage from noisy toys

As consumers snap up electronic toys as gifts for all ages, another, very real danger is being overlooked, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

10 Dec 2007

Mobile phones increase the risk of tumours

Israeli researchers say they have found that the regular use of mobile phones increases the risk of developing tumours.

10 Dec 2007

Purified bacterial extract sprayed into lungs ramps up innate immune system

A purified extract prepared from a common microbe and delivered to the lungs of laboratory mice in a spray set off a healthy immune response and provided powerful protection against all four major classes of pathogens including those responsible for anthrax and bubonic plague, according to a presentation at the American Society for Cell Biology's 47th Annual Meeting.

4 Dec 2007

Scientists develop optical device that allows them to peer through the eyes of a mouse and monitor cells passing in bloodstream

A team of researchers from the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS) have developed an optical device that allows them to peer through the eyes of a mouse and monitor the cells passing through its bloodstream.

4 Dec 2007

Inhaled immune system stimulant launches immune response in lungs to wipe out lethal infections

An inhaled immune system stimulant protects mice against lethal pneumococcal pneumonia and other deadly bacterial, viral and fungal infections of the lungs, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports at a major scientific meeting.

4 Dec 2007

10% of patients in NHS hospitals may experience some kind of adverse event

One in ten NHS patients comes to harm while in hospital as a result of their clinical care, suggests a study in Quality and Safety in Health Care.

2 Dec 2007

New anti-infective drug aims to fight drug-resistant bacteria at source

Deadly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus - MRSA - a bacterium that responds poorly to conventional antibiotic treatment, infects 90,000 Americans per year and causes 19,000 deaths, most in hospital settings.

29 Nov 2007

Smoking and depression often go hand-in-hand for new mothers

Smoking and depression often go hand-in-hand for new mothers, according to a study in the November 2007 issue of Preventive Medicine by Temple University researcher Dr. Robert Whitaker.

27 Nov 2007

iPod ear - a possible future condition

Call it acoustic trauma or noise-induced hearing loss. By any name, it's the most important preventable cause of permanent hearing loss. Up to 28 million Americans have impaired hearing; for as many as a third, acoustic trauma is a significant contributor, reports the December 2007 issue of Harvard Men's Health Watch .

20 Nov 2007

Use of intraoperative MRI adds time but care-changing information to neurosurgery, study shows

Although the use of intraoperative MRI can add time to surgical procedures, it can help surgeons detect residual disease and, if needed, modify their plan for surgery while the patient is on the operating room table, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.

20 Nov 2007

Saline irrigation versus saline spray for relief of chronic nasal symptoms

An inexpensive, safe and easy treatment is an effective method for treating chronic nasal and sinus symptoms – more effective, in fact, than commonly used saline sprays, according to a new study from University of Michigan Health System researchers.

20 Nov 2007

Schering-Plough acquires Organon BioSciences

Schering-Plough Corporation has announced that it has completed the acquisition of Organon BioSciences N.V., creating a stronger combined company with broader human and animal health portfolios, an enhanced pipeline and increased R&D capabilities. Schering-Plough's agreement to acquire Organon BioSciences was announced on March 12, 2007.

20 Nov 2007

Tamiflu significantly reduces illness severity and duration in children one year and older

...particularly if given within 24 hours of symptom onset, according to new data presented at the World Society for Pediatric Infectious Disease (WISPID) meeting in Bangkok 15-18 November.

16 Nov 2007

Brain's left hemisphere picks up peripheral noise

Our brain is very good at picking up speech even in a noisy room, an adaptation essential for holding a conversation at a cocktail party, and now we are beginning to understand the neural interactions that underlie this ability.

16 Nov 2007

Researchers neutralise the HIV virus

With the latest advances in treatment, doctors have discovered that they can successfully neutralise the HIV virus.

6 Nov 2007

Artificial organs targeted in medical technology venture

The University of Bern is bringing together its established areas of expertise in the field of medical technology. The outstanding international reputation of medical technology teaching and research in Bern is to be further enhanced in the long term by the creation of new assistant professorships.

5 Nov 2007

Breastfed babies breathe better, except when mother is asthmatic

When it comes to feeding babies, the old adage "breast is best" certainly holds true, with breastfed babies having less diarrhea and fewer ear infections and incidents of wheezing in early life.

2 Nov 2007

Roche's organ-rejection drug CellCept increases risk of birth defects, miscarriage, FDA says

FDA on Monday said Roche's organ-rejection drug CellCept increases the risk of birth defects and miscarriage during the first trimester of pregnancy, Reuters reports. CellCept prevents organ rejection among kidney, liver and heart transplant recipients.

31 Oct 2007