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Financial, social hardships account for increased likelihood of asthma readmissions among black children

Black children are twice as likely as white children to be readmitted to the hospital for asthma - a disparity due in large part to a greater burden of financial and social hardships, according to a new study.

3 Feb 2014

Research shows promise for developing a method of clearly identifying cancerous tissue during surgery

First-of-its-kind research by the Innovation Institute at Henry Ford Hospital shows promise for developing a method of clearly identifying cancerous tissue during surgery on one of the most common and deadliest types of brain tumor.

30 Jan 2014

Strategic placement of trees near roadways may enhance air quality, positively impact public health

Calif.-Strategic placement of trees and plants near busy roadways may enhance air quality and positively impact public health.

25 Jan 2014

Scientists hope crowdfunding may boost crowdsourced research project

What if by collecting vital signs from individual cell phone users around the world, we could map symptoms of disease and see the flu coming like a giant whirling hurricane? A team of engineers, biologists and medical researchers at the University of California, San Diego wants to leverage the widespread use of smart phone technology and cloud computing to build maps of large-scale health problems or environmental damage such as the concentration of heavy metals in drinking water.

25 Jan 2014

Many serious diseases come from the air that we breathe every day

At rest, we breathe approx. 12-15 times per minute, and for each inhalation we change approx. one litre of air. Depending on the activity level, this makes up a daily quantity in the order of twenty cubic metres of air that - with its content of pollution in the form of particles and different gases - can make us ill depending on how polluted the air is.

24 Jan 2014

Obese kids exposed to high levels of air pollutants are nearly 3 times as likely to have asthma

Obese children exposed to high levels of air pollutants were nearly three times as likely to have asthma, compared with non-obese children and lower levels of pollution exposure, report researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC).

23 Jan 2014

Long-term exposure to particulate matter linked with increased risk for heart attack

Long-term exposure to particulate matter is associated with an increased risk for heart attack. Moreover, this association can already be observed in levels of particulate exposure below the current specified European limit values.

22 Jan 2014

Long term exposure to particulate matter in outdoor air linked to heart attacks and angina

Long term exposure to particulate matter in outdoor air is strongly linked to heart attacks and angina, and this association persists at levels of exposure below the current European limits, suggests research conducted at the Department of Epidemiology in Rome, Italy and published on bmj.com today.

21 Jan 2014

Exposure to secondhand smoke increases odds of kids being readmitted to hospital for asthma

A new study shows that exposure to secondhand smoke at home or in the car dramatically increases the odds of children being readmitted to the hospital within a year of being admitted for asthma.

20 Jan 2014

Monitoring air pollution now possible with technological advances in air quality measurement methods

Launching a natural research experiment in Kathmandu, Nepal, this month using advanced monitoring methods to assess health risk from air pollution, environmental health scientist Rick Peltier at the University of Massachusetts Amherst hopes to demonstrate for the first time in a real-world setting that air pollution can and should be regulated based on toxicology variables rather than simply on the volume of particles in the air.

9 Jan 2014

Researchers discover novel compounds that are hundreds of times more mutagenic

Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered novel compounds produced by certain types of chemical reactions - such as those found in vehicle exhaust or grilling meat - that are hundreds of times more mutagenic than their parent compounds which are known carcinogens.

6 Jan 2014

Unseen stream of rubbish flowing through London could be a serious threat to aquatic wildlife

Thousands of pieces of plastic have been discovered, submerged along the river bed of the upper Thames Estuary by scientists at Royal Holloway, University of London and the Natural History Museum.

3 Jan 2014

Poverty, not smoking, linked to COPD mortality

An international study shows that national mortality rates for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease do not correlate well with the prevalence of smoking in low-income countries but do show a strong inverse correlation with wealth.

30 Dec 2013

Smoking, diets rich in animal products, alcohol have correlations with cancer incidence rates, says study

A multicountry study just published in Nutrients finds that smoking, diets rich in animal products, and alcohol have the strongest correlations with cancer incidence rates. The cancer incidence rates are from 2008 as assembled by the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization.

28 Dec 2013

Laser measurements show pollen has major influence on air quality

Leipzig, Germany. Pollen reflects more sunlight than previously known, and makes up to one third of the total amount of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Aerosol particles influence optical depth which provides a measure of the opacity of the atmosphere.

19 Dec 2013

LSDF announces research and development grants to commercialize health-related technologies

The Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF) today announced $1.1 million in five Proof of Concept grants to Washington for-profit and non-profit organizations to foster the translation of health-related products from the laboratory into the commercial marketplace.

19 Dec 2013

Study identifies atrial fibrillation as a growing and serious global health problem

Atrial fibrillation, long considered the most common condition leading to an irregular heartbeat, is a growing and serious global health problem, according to the first study ever to estimate the condition's worldwide prevalence, death rates and societal costs.

18 Dec 2013

Report: Health law regs were delayed ahead of Obama's reelection

These rules, along with others related to the environment and worker safety, were delayed to avoid introducing contentious issues into the 2012 campaign, The Washington Post reports.

17 Dec 2013

Dermatologist offers 5 grooming essentials for men to make skin healthy and glow

If you're short on holiday gift ideas for men this season, consider a grooming product. Contrary to popular belief, a growing number of men are requesting recommendations for skincare products, says Natalie Semchyshyn, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at Saint Louis University.

16 Dec 2013

First Edition: December 16, 2013

Today's headlines include findings from an Associated Press poll probing Americans thoughts about the health law.