Medical News

RSS

Infertility rates have hardly changed over past 20 years, says study

In 2010, almost 50 million couples worldwide were unable to have a child after five years of trying. Infertility rates have hardly changed over the past 20 years, according to a study by international researchers published in this week's PLOS Medicine.

19 Dec 2012

Tips to prevent food allergies during Christmas

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, candles filling the air with the smell of cinnamon and beloved decorations making their yearly appearance really do help make the season bright. But for kids with allergies these holiday delights can make the atmosphere miserable and even deadly.

19 Dec 2012

House, Senate pass Reproductive Health bill in Philippines

"Lawmakers on Monday approved legislation calling for government-funded contraception and sex education classes in the Philippines, a first in the heavily Catholic nation," CNN reports (12/17).

19 Dec 2012

Biologic changes after delivery may prevent development of chronic pain

Chronic pain from childbirth is remarkably rare, according to a study from the January issue of Anesthesiology. Additionally, in a second study, researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, N.C., found the biologic changes after delivery may prevent the development of pain.

19 Dec 2012

Findings emphasize importance of counseling HIV patients on smoking cessation

Among HIV patients receiving well-organized care with free access to antiretroviral therapy, those who smoke lose more years of life to smoking than to HIV, according to a Danish study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and available online. The findings highlight the importance of smoking cessation efforts in the long-term, integrated care of patients infected with HIV.

19 Dec 2012

IRIN examines efforts to ban, reduce incidence of FGM/C in Sierra Leone

"Campaigns to lower the rate of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Sierra Leone are having some impact, but efforts to ban the practice have failed thus far, and despite a push to communicate its health risks, many still believe FGM/C promotes good health and hygiene".

19 Dec 2012

New data on drug use

Teenagers abuse prescription medication more than anything else besides marijuana. Tomorrow, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy is set to release new data on youth drug use.

19 Dec 2012

AIDS.gov blog highlights themes from mHealth Summit

The AIDS.gov blog recaps some of the major themes of the mHealth Summit: Connecting the Mobile Health Ecosystem, which was held at the beginning of December in Washington, D.C.

19 Dec 2012

Harvard scientists shed new light on olfactory feedback mechanism

More than a century after it was first identified, Harvard scientists are shedding new light on a little-understood neural feedback mechanism that may play a key role in how the olfactory system works in the brain.

19 Dec 2012

Dominance and skill are two strategies to gain power and status

19 Dec 2012

The association alfa-enolase/plasmin is a new selective target for treating muscular pathologies

Researchers at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) have described a new selective target in muscle regeneration. This is the association of alpha-enolase protein and plasmin.

19 Dec 2012

Energy drink makers blitz college students amid calls for regulation

With finals season in full swing this month, weary students are looking for anything that can help them endure late-night study sessions. Energy drink companies, whose products are already popular on college campuses, are increasingly looking to replace coffee as a student's go-to answer for a stamina boost during finals - and then for late nights after graduation.

19 Dec 2012

MITF protein may help develop effective drug treatments for melanoma

Scientists at The University of Manchester have identified a protein that appears to hold the key to creating more effective drug treatments for melanoma, one of the deadliest cancers.

From The University of Manchester 19 Dec 2012

Vismodegib team wins Drug Discovery of the Year award

The British Pharmacological Society proudly announces that its first annual Drug Discovery of the Year award has been won by the discovery team developing vismodegib for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer).

19 Dec 2012

Study highlights need for health services and social support for parolees

More than 40% of parolees and releases sent to the Bronx from New York State prisons have two or more major chronic conditions, a study to be released today at a public briefing at Health People: Community Preventive Health Institute in the Bronx shows.

19 Dec 2012

Conn. shootings spur questions about adequacy of mental health services

Lawmakers in both chambers are calling for Congress to start a conversation about mental health issues in the wake of last week's deadly shooting at a Connecticut elementary school, with one goal of ensuring adequate funding for services for those who need treatment.

19 Dec 2012

Community solidarity and support have remarkable benefits for people coping with tragedies

Community solidarity and support have remarkable benefits for people coping with traumatic mass shootings, according to an American-Finnish research study recently published by the University of Turku.

19 Dec 2012

First Edition: December 19, 2012

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the "fiscal cliff" negotiations.

19 Dec 2012

Ion channel acts as powerful ‘brake’ after epileptic seizures

Given that epilepsy impacts more than 2 million Americans, there is a pressing need for new therapies to prevent this disabling neurological disorder. New findings from the neuroscience laboratory of Mark S. Shapiro, Ph.D., at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, published Dec. 20 in the high-impact scientific journal, Neuron, may provide hope.

19 Dec 2012

Probiotic supplements can benefit body during and after antibiotic use

Recent data suggests that the average American is bombarded with up to 5,000 varying media messages on a daily basis, which can make it tricky to discern fact from fiction. When it comes to your health, there should be absolutely no doubt that the products you select are effectively working to produce the desired results. This is especially true when it comes to the use of probiotics with antibiotics, because some forms are less effective when combined with antibiotics.

19 Dec 2012