Category: Health News

Position statement: Avoid using medical marijuana to treat sleep apnea

Medical cannabis and synthetic marijuana extracts should not be used for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, according to a position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). In November 2017 the Minnesota Department of Health announced the decision to add obstructive sleep apnea as a new qualifying condition for the state’s medical

Team develops new way to fight HIV transmission

Scientists at the University of Waterloo have developed a new tool to protect women from HIV infection. The tool, a vaginal implant, decreases the number of cells that the HIV virus can target in a woman’s genital tract. Unlike conventional methods of HIV prevention, such as condoms or anti-HIV drugs, the implant takes advantage of

Drowsy driving in the ridesharing industry is a public safety risk

A position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) concludes that fatigue and sleepiness are inherent safety risks in the ridesharing industry. Both sleep deprivation and circadian influences leave ridesharing drivers at risk for drowsy driving. The typical schedule for workers in the ridesharing industry may lead to driving after extended periods of

Study examines maternal metabolic factors and early-onset puberty

In a study of more than 15,000 girls and their mothers—all Kaiser Permanente members in Northern California—maternal overweight and hyperglycemia were linked to the earlier onset of puberty in girls 6 to 11 years old. Early puberty has been linked to multiple adverse health developments as girls grow up. The study, “Associations between maternal obesity

Sensitive new assay detects hepatitis B infection in single liver cells and serum: Technique measuring the cccDNA marker may allow earlier detection of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients, reports The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A study published in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics describes a new HBV assay that offers advantages over currently used methods because it has the capability to detect closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in serum, single cells, and preserved tissue samples. This assay

FDA cracks down on caffeine-loaded supplements

(HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it has issued tough new restrictions on the sale of dietary supplements that contain dangerously high amounts of caffeine. Supplements that contain pure or highly concentrated caffeine in powder or liquid forms are no longer permitted to be sold in bulk quantities directly to consumers, the

Cosmedix Combines Influencers and Enthusiasts in Brand-Building Campaign

As influencer marketing is evolving, brands are sorting out how to best use socially created content. Professional skin-care brand Cosmedix recently launched a campaign with not just influencers, but also some of its biggest brand enthusiasts.According to A.T. Kearney, social media now drives product discovery with 37 percent of consumers noting they learn about new beauty

Dementia: How circadian clock controls daily rhythms of aggression: New findings shed light on the early-evening agitation known as ‘sundowning,’ common in patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

Patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia commonly experience the sundown syndrome — a sudden worsening of confusion, agitation and aggression at the end of the day. Its daily pattern suggested that “sundowning,” as the phenomenon is also known, may be governed by the body’s internal biological clock. Synchronized by light and darkness,

Checklist: 10 steps to future-proof enterprise imaging

While no one can say with certainty all the ways enterprise imaging may evolve in the years to come, healthcare provider organization and enterprise imaging vendor executives in the know have strongly-held beliefs about some of the ways the technology will change. They also can pinpoint steps hospitals and systems should be taking today to

Separating the hype from reality in healthcare AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technology are sweeping most tech sectors and industries, and healthcare is no exception. In fact, at HIMSS18, no technology was hotter than AI. "Artificial intelligence has been around for a while, but why all the buzz around it now?" said HIMSS 2018 AI panelist Pamela Peele, chief analytics officer at University of Pittsburgh

Is there a link between your pets and your food choices?

People who grow up with a greater variety of pets are significantly more likely to follow a vegetarian diet as adults, according to research by a professor-student team in the University at Albany psychology department. Sydney Heiss, graduate student in the department of psychology, worked with assistant professor Julia Hormes to gain a better understanding

Alpha-gal found to be both a medication and red meat allergy

Alpha-gal allergy has commonly been referred to as “the red meat” allergy, but doctors at the Vanderbilt Asthma, Sinus and Allergy Program (ASAP) helped uncover that not only red meat, but some medications, can contain alpha-gal. Cosby Stone, MD, a fellow in the ASAP clinic, said recent patients have led researchers to take a deeper

The bad habits that lead to weight gain

(HealthDay)—It’s no secret that weight gain results from consuming too many calories. But at its core is an imbalance of healthy and unhealthy habits. On one side of the scale—the healthy side—are foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean protein and plant-based fats. On the other side are the not-so-healthy options—sugary foods, those

Scientists unlock path to use cell’s own nanoparticles as disease biomarkers: Extracellular vesicles can now be identified at the individual level

Researchers at the University of Sydney have established a method to identify individual nanoparticles released by human cells, opening the way for them to become diagnostic tools in the early-detection of cancers, dementia and kidney disease. The particles, known as extracellular vesicles, or EVs, are routinely released by cells and play a central role in