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Cause of esodeviation differs in children, adults

Children who present with acute-onset esodeviation should be investigated for underlying central nervous system disorders, study findings indicate.

4 Feb 2013

Delirium overlooked in hospital patients

Delirium occurs in about one in five inpatients, but appears to be a low priority with hospital staff, research suggests.

4 Feb 2013

Eating brightly colored fruit and veg may help prevent ALS

Having a high intake of carotenoids, compounds that give certain fruits and vegetables their distinctive coloring, can reduce a person’s risk for developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or motor neurone disease, suggest study findings.

4 Feb 2013

Nicotine metabolism inversely linked to addiction severity in teens

Reduced nicotine metabolism is associated with a greater number of cigarettes smoked per day and increased levels of dependence in adolescent smokers, researchers report.

4 Feb 2013

Cutting down on fried food could lower prostate cancer risk

Men who eat deep-fried food at least once a week may be increasing their risk for developing prostate cancer, show findings from a US study.

4 Feb 2013

Poor diet provides clue to metabolic abnormalities in schizophrenia

Patients with schizophrenia commonly have a poor diet, say UK researchers who believe this may partly account for the increased incidence of metabolic abnormalities in these patients.

4 Feb 2013

Mood disorder clinics improve bipolar disorder outcomes

Early treatment of patients with bipolar disorder in a specialized mood disorder clinic substantially reduces the risk for readmission to a psychiatric hospital, clinical trial findings show.

4 Feb 2013

Glycemic control low priority in diabetes CVD prevention

Maintaining glycemic control does not reduce the likelihood for cardiovascular disease leading to hospitalization in people with Type 2 diabetes, report US researchers.

4 Feb 2013

Operative drainage after pancreatic resection ‘should be abandoned’

Routine prophylactic drainage offers no benefits to patients undergoing pancreatic resection, say researchers.

4 Feb 2013

Spinal surgery outcomes put ‘July effect’ in myth category

The supposed commotion caused by an influx of new residents and fellows that typically takes place at teaching hospitals during the month of July has an negligible effect on periprocedural outcomes after spinal surgery.

4 Feb 2013

Ultrasound signs can predict Down’s syndrome

Ultrasound markers that can be detected in the second trimester of pregnancy are strongly predictive for Down’s syndrome, show findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

4 Feb 2013

Common mouthwash advice ‘not evidence-based’

People with fixed dental appliances use fluoride-containing mouthrinses less often than is optimal to prevent the development of white spot lesions, researchers have found.

4 Feb 2013

Indian medicines ‘promising’ for osteoarthritis care

Ayurvedic medicine may offer osteoarthritis relief, say Indian researchers who found traditional formulations to be equal to conventional drugs for the improvement of pain and knee function.

4 Feb 2013

New method for detecting cancer by measuring elasticity of tumours

As the first countries in the world, Norway and France will be testing a completely new method for detecting cancer. This is done by measuring the elasticity of tumours. The method is called elastography. You may as well learn this new word right away; in a few years, elastography may be as common as X-rays.

4 Feb 2013

Hope against dangerous form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

After an intensive three-year hunt through the genome, medical researchers have pinpointed mutations that leads to drug resistance and relapse in the most common type of childhood cancer-the first time anyone has linked the disease's reemergence to specific genetic anomalies.

4 Feb 2013

Researchers discover gene that causes MRSA infection to linger on skin longer than other strains

In the last decade, a new strain of MRSA has emerged that can spread beyond hospital walls, putting everyone at risk of contracting the dangerous bacterial infection. This particular strain of MRSA - known as USA300 - contains a chunk of genes not shared by any other strains, though it is unclear how this unique genetic material enables the bacteria to survive and persist in the community.

4 Feb 2013

Cloaked nanoparticles escape immune system surveillance to reach desired target

By cloaking nanoparticles in the membranes of white blood cells, scientists at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute may have found a way to prevent the body from recognizing and destroying them before they deliver their drug payloads. The group describes its "LeukoLike Vectors", or LLVs, in the January issue of Nature Nanotechnology.

4 Feb 2013

Cells lose ability to defend against transposons as they age

Even in our DNA there is no refuge from rogues that prey on the elderly. Parasitic strands of genetic material called transposable elements - transposons - lurk in our chromosomes, poised to wreak genomic havoc. Cells have evolved ways to defend themselves, but in a new study, Brown University researchers describe how cells lose this ability as they age, possibly resulting in a decline in their function and health.

4 Feb 2013

Measles: an interview with Dr. Robert Perry, World Health Organization

Measles is a disease marked by fever, rash, and cold symptoms (red eyes, cough, runny nose) that results in a temporary suppression of the immune system and a drop in vitamin A levels.

4 Feb 2013

Scientists track evolution of antibiotic resistance using automated device

With the discovery of antibiotics, medicine acquired power on a scale never before possible to protect health, save lives, and reduce suffering caused by certain bacteria. But the power of antibiotics is now under siege because some virulent infections no longer respond to antibiotic drugs.

4 Feb 2013