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Correcting birth defects

Traditionally when a baby was born with a malformation of the lung or esophagus, they had to undergo open surgery involving a large chest incision with risk for serious complications.

18 Jul 2007

Organ donation should be a presumption says UK's top medical officer

Britain's chief medical officer says anyone who dies should be presumed to have agreed to donate their organs unless they have specifically said otherwise.

17 Jul 2007

Vitamin C to ward off colds - don't bother!

A survey by Australian and Finnish scientists of 30 different scientific studies from around the world over the last twenty years, has reached the conclusion that taking daily doses of vitamin C to ward off colds is a waste of time.

17 Jul 2007

Special patch improves heart function after heart attacks

Researchers in the U.S. have developed a special patch which regenerates cardiac cells after a heart attack; when the patch is placed on the damaged area of the heart it improves heart function.

17 Jul 2007

Healthy diet does not prevent recurrence of breast cancer

According to new research following a low-fat diet high in vegetables, fruit and fiber does not prevent breast cancer from returning or prolong the survival of patients.

17 Jul 2007

Simple less cumbersome device may be a better solution for sleep apnea

Sufferers from sleep apnea may soon have the option of a simpler treatment for their problems.

17 Jul 2007

Breast cancer drug works better on a full stomach

Experts in the United States say that eating the right food with certain medications could improve the effectiveness of drugs and also reduce the cost of treating patients.

17 Jul 2007

Globe-trotting TB patient has lung surgery

The globe-trotting TB patient who apparently flew to Europe against the advice of the Center for Disease and Control (CDC) has had part of his lung removed.

17 Jul 2007

New technique restores the smile to faces of those with facial paralysis

Surgeons in the United States have used a new procedure to partially restore the muscle movement in the faces of patients with severe long-term facial paralysis.

17 Jul 2007

Obesity and asthma often go together

Scientists in Britain say they have discovered a link between obesity and asthma and they believe the connection may explain why overweight people are up to twice as likely to develop the respiratory condition.

17 Jul 2007

Grapefruit linked to increased risk for breast cancer

It seems unlikely but researchers in the United States say they have found that eating too much grapefruit could increase the risk of breast cancer.

17 Jul 2007

Pump iron to help that heart pump!

The American Heart Association (AHA) says weight lifting or resistance training, is beneficial for patients with heart disease provided it is safely performed and certain guidelines are adhered to.

17 Jul 2007

Starpharma announces VivaGel to be used as a condom coating

Starpharma Holdings Limited today announced that it has signed an agreement with a leading condom company in relation to the use of VivaGel as a condom coating.

17 Jul 2007

Drug-drug or drug-food interactions may offer opportunities to lower costs

Exploiting interactions between food and drugs could dramatically lower the rapidly rising costs of several anticancer drugs, and perhaps many other medications, two cancer-pharmacology specialists suggest in a commentary in the July 16, 2007, issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

17 Jul 2007

Origin of bipedal walking

While no one has an authoritative answer, anthropologists have long theorized that early humans began walking on two legs as a way to reduce locomotor energy costs.

17 Jul 2007

Temporalis tendon transfer reanimates paralyzed faces

A surgical technique known as temporalis tendon transfer, in conjunction with intense physical therapy before and after surgery, may help reanimate the features of those with facial paralysis, according to a report in the July/August issue of Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

17 Jul 2007

Taste loss after tonsillectomy unusual

In a small study of patients undergoing tonsillectomy, or removal of the tonsils, none reported an ongoing dysfunction in their sense of taste following the procedure, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of Otolaryngology?Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

17 Jul 2007

Depression and smoking link

Ever wonder why smoking and depression seem to go together? A Saint Louis University School of Public Health researcher finds the connection is genetic.

17 Jul 2007

Insights into side effects of HIV protease inhibitors

UCLA scientists, along with collaborators from Purdue University, have demonstrated that HIV protease inhibitors, crucial drugs for HIV treatment block a cellular enzyme important for generating the structural scaffolding for the cell nucleus.

17 Jul 2007

COPD patients taking inhaled steroids are at greater risk for severe pneumonia

Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are increasingly being prescribed inhaled corticosteroids to control exacerbations of the disease, but a new study finds that the anti-inflammatory drugs increase the chances that these patients will be hospitalized for pneumonia.

17 Jul 2007