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Acupuncture improves headache-related QoL in TBI patients

A study comparing the effectiveness of usual care alone to usual care plus either auricular or traditional Chinese acupuncture in treating patients with headaches due to a previous traumatic brain injury (TBI) showed a significant improvement in headache-related quality of life (QoL) with the addition of acupuncture.

30 Jun 2016

UTHealth researchers receive $11 million grant to study prion diseases

Led by Claudio Soto, Ph.D., researchers from McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have been awarded $11 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to study the pathogenesis, transmission and detection of prion diseases - such as chronic wasting disease in deer - that can potentially spread to humans.

30 Jun 2016

Treatment for IBS proves difficult, survey reveals

A new national survey by Health Union of more than 1,000 individuals with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) reveals that the condition is difficult to diagnose and often even more difficult to treat.

29 Jun 2016

New study reveals startling trend in mortality rates from heart disease and stroke

After more than a decade of steady improvements, the decline in mortality rates from heart disease and stroke has slowed nationally and nearly leveled out since 2011, according to a new analysis from Kaiser Permanente published in JAMA Cardiology.

29 Jun 2016

Simple 7-item screening device can help detect patients at risk for COPD

A simple 7-item screening tool can help clinicians identify patients at risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), even if they are not experiencing any symptoms.

29 Jun 2016

Diet rich in vegetables and fruit may decrease type 2 diabetes risk

A diet rich in vegetables and fruit may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to research published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition.

29 Jun 2016

Epclusa drug receives FDA approval for treating adult patients with chronic HCV

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Epclusa to treat adult patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) both with and without cirrhosis (advanced liver disease).

28 Jun 2016

Why does appetite loss occur during illness? An interview with Prof. Conti and Prof. Francesconi

Appetite, as a word, come from the Latin appetitus, meaning "desire for.” Therefore, appetite can be defined as a pleasurable sensation or the desire to eat. This sensation is coordinated by several brain areas associated with reward processing such amygdala, hippocampus, ventral pallidum, nucleus accumbens and striatum, and others.

28 Jun 2016

LGB adults experience higher rates of distress, impaired physical health than heterosexuals

In one of the largest, most representative health surveys conducted to date, lesbian, gay and bisexual adults reported substantially higher rates of severe psychological distress, heavy drinking and smoking, and impaired physical health than did heterosexuals.

28 Jun 2016

Scientists detect gene networks likely to be shared by all CLL patients

Research, involving scientists and doctors at the University of Southampton and Royal Bournemouth Hospital, has identified a network of genes that are likely to be shared by all patients who have chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).

28 Jun 2016

Scientists detect biological markers of chronic fatigue syndrome in gut bacteria

Physicians have been mystified by chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition where normal exertion leads to debilitating fatigue that isn't alleviated by rest. There are no known triggers, and diagnosis requires lengthy tests administered by an expert.

28 Jun 2016

Food's transit time through colon affects health of digestive system

The time it takes for ingested food to travel through the human gut - also called transit time - affects the amount of harmful degradation products produced along the way.

28 Jun 2016

New computer model shows how spleen filters misshapen red blood cells

Researchers, led by Carnegie Mellon University President Subra Suresh and MIT Principal Research Scientist Ming Dao, have created a new computer model that shows how tiny slits in the spleen prevent old, diseased or misshapen red blood cells from re-entering the bloodstream.

28 Jun 2016

HDAC inhibitors may help regulate alcoholism-induced anxiety

Epigenetics is the study of changes in organisms caused by modifying gene expression - by alcohol, for example - rather than alteration of the genetic code itself. Recent evidence suggests that alcohol can inhibit activity of an enzyme called histone deacetylase (HDAC) in the amygdala, a brain region that is crucial for storing memories and regulating fear, anxiety, and other emotions.

27 Jun 2016

Study highlights need to improve end-of-life care for all patients with serious illnesses

Historically, efforts to improve end-of-life care have focused primarily on patients with cancer. But few studies have looked at the quality of end-of-life care for patients with other serious illnesses, such as lung, kidney or heart failure or dementia.

27 Jun 2016