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Psychological therapies may help people who self-harm, study finds

Latest research out today has found that psychological therapies, more commonly known as ‘talking treatments’, may help people who self- harm.

12 May 2016

Study opens door for new opportunities in finding antidotes to nerve agent sarin

The nerve agent sarin causes a deadly overstimulation of the nervous system that can be stopped if treated with an antidote within minutes of poisoning. Today, a ground-breaking study has been published in PNAS, which in detail describes how such a drug works. Researchers at the Swedish Defence Research Agency, Umea University and in Germany are behind the study.

3 May 2016

New study suggests that Neanderthals across Europe may have diseases carried out of Africa

A new study suggests that Neanderthals across Europe may well have been infected with diseases carried out of Africa by waves of anatomically modern humans, or Homo sapiens. As both were species of hominin, it would have been easier for pathogens to jump populations, say researchers. This might have contributed to the demise of Neanderthals.

11 Apr 2016

Simple, paper-based test could help detect foodborne pathogens

Food poisoning is a stomach-churning, miserable condition that sends thousands of Americans to hospital emergency rooms every year. Now scientists report in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry a simple, paper-based test that could help detect pathogens hitchhiking on food before they reach store shelves, restaurants and, most importantly, our stomachs.

7 Apr 2016

Research shows how recreational ketamine abuse harms the bladder

Research conducted by scientists at the University of York has revealed how recreational ketamine abuse damages the bladder

21 Mar 2016

Researchers report fast, accurate technique for monitoring bacterial growth in packaged food

It's important to know how microorganisms -- particularly pathogenic microbes -- grow under various conditions. Certain bacteria can cause food poisoning when eaten and bacterial growth in medical blood supplies, while rare, might necessitate discarding the blood.

17 Mar 2016

Understanding dangers of binge drinking

Researchers estimate that each year 1,825 college students ages 18-24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle collisions. About 20 percent of college students meet the criteria for an alcohol use disorder, with one in four college students report adverse academic consequences from drinking, including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.

14 Mar 2016

Over- or under-reaction of immune system can be life-threatening

The dilemma of our immune system is comparable to the story of Icarus and Daedalus from Greek mythology. To escape their captivity, Daedalus built wings from feathers and wax for himself and his son. Daedalus warned his son that he must neither fly too high but also not too low, otherwise the sun's heat or the humidity of the sea would destroy his wings and he would crash. After they had successfully escaped, Icarus became boisterous and flew higher and higher until the sun began to melt the wax of his wings and he fell into the sea. Similarly, an over- or under-reaction of our immune system can be life-threatening.

11 Mar 2016

Newly developed app could help combat food poisoning

It's happened to many of us. We eat at a restaurant with less than ideal hygiene and come down with a nasty case of food poisoning.

8 Mar 2016

Study: 94% of older adults in the U.S. have at least one sensory deficit

The first study to measure the full spectrum of age-related damage to all five senses found that 94 percent of older adults in the United States have at least one sensory deficit, 38 percent have two, and 28 percent have three, four or five.

18 Feb 2016

Critical discovery holds key to explaining how 'good' gut bacteria promote health

A critical discovery about how bacteria feed on an unusual sugar molecule found in leafy green vegetables could hold the key to explaining how 'good' bacteria protect our gut and promote health.

15 Feb 2016

Research: Deaths related to CO poisoning have increased sharply in mainland China

New research published in Cogent Medicine has found that deaths related to carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning have risen sharply in recent years in mainland China.

15 Feb 2016

Researchers call for monitoring of playground paints to reduce public health dangers

Playground equipment should be monitored more regularly to ensure toxic metals contained within paints do not present a danger to public and child health, a study recommends.

26 Jan 2016

Simple blood test could help predict emergence of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women

Pre-eclampsia is a serious illness associated with pregnancy, which develops after twenty weeks and is associated with defective ingrowing of the placenta within the mother. The dangerous illness is both the second most frequent cause of death in pregnant women, and the reason for severe complications for mother and child, especially during premature births.

25 Jan 2016

UM SOM study leads to FDA approval of Neulasta drug for treatment of radiation injury

As a result of research performed by scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of a drug to treat the deleterious effects of radiation exposure following a nuclear incident. The drug, Neulasta, is one of a very small number that have been approved for the treatment of acute radiation injury.

21 Jan 2016

ß-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor® reagent system to detect ketosis

Stanbio Laboratory, an EKF company, has developed the ß-Hydroxybutyrate LiquiColor® Reagent System to improve the detection of clinically significant ketosis.

From EKF Diagnostics 7 Jan 2016

Nottingham researchers explore viruses that can destroy food poisoning bugs in the gut

Viruses that can seek and destroy food poisoning bugs in the gut are being investigated by researchers at The University of Nottingham, thanks to a prestigious new grant.

5 Jan 2016

Medication poisoning threatens young children in poor areas

Children younger than 5 who live in economically disadvantaged areas had a greater risk of medication poisoning that resulted in referral to a health care facility, according to scientists at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and the University of California, San Diego. These areas were rural and experienced high unemployment, along with lower rates of high school graduation and lower household income.

23 Dec 2015

Recreational drug and alcohol use can increase risk of poisoning-related hospital admissions

Poisonings from recreational drug and alcohol use account for 9 percent of all poisoning-related hospital admissions, says a new University of Sydney study revealing that males and people under 30 are at greatest risk.

17 Dec 2015

Use of aconitine may lead to severe poisoning, warns Chinese physicians report

Chinese physicians report on the case of a woman who presented with aconitine-induced cardiovascular symptoms. Their report, published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, warns that the use of this natural ingredient may lead to severe poisoning.

19 Nov 2015