Health Problems News

Although past research has shown that thigh, hip and buttocks fat might actually protect against heart disease, a new study says losing fat in those areas is linked to better cardiovascular health. The study, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association, comes eight years after a well-publicized study in the International Journal

Researchers at the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) have for the first time been able to observe—live and in real-time—how the human body responds to often lethal fungal blood infections in the lung. In the study, the fungal infection Candida albicans was introduced to mice or human models of the lung vasculature

Finding ways to help patients with COPD improve their functional status is an area of interest for pulmonary healthcare providers. Currently, pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is used where available to improve exercise capacity and quality of life, but the treatment requires access to trained staff and specialized facilities. A new study in the journal CHEST looked

One of the major side effects of chemotherapy is a sharp drop in white blood cells, which leaves patients vulnerable to dangerous infections. MIT researchers have now developed a portable device that could be used to monitor patients’ white blood cell levels at home, without taking blood samples. Such a device could prevent thousands of

Because of advances in drug design and precision medicine, researchers have been able to target certain molecules within a cell at the root of a particular disease and to develop specific therapies to undo their damages. Today, precision targeting combines therapy decisions with molecular insights to offer hope after a life-changing cancer diagnosis. But there’s

The longevity and health improvements seen in animals on sulfur amino acid-restricted diets could translate to people, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers who recently conducted a review of published studies. More research is needed to confirm the benefits in people, the scientists said. Amino acids are the building blocks of all proteins

A novel approach to treating fluid build-up around the lungs of cancer patients could deliver a more effective home-based treatment for thousands of people who might be approaching the end of their lives, according to a new study led by the University of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust. In patients with all types of

Focusing on a simple hormone in us all, a Yale researcher has found specific forms of it that poke toxic holes in cells—a discovery that he is leveraging into a treatment for patients with diabetes. The research, published April 3 in Nature Communications, is also central to the recent awarding of two grants totaling $600,000

An advance by UCLA neuroscientists could lead to a better understanding of astrocytes, a star-shaped brain cell believed to play a key role in neurological disorders like Lou Gehrig’s, Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s disease. Reported in Neuron, the new method enables researchers to peer deep inside a mouse’s brain and watch astrocytes’ influence over nerve-cell communication

A smartphone application using the phone’s camera function performed better than traditional physical examination to assess blood flow in a wrist artery for patients undergoing coronary angiography, according to a randomized trial published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). These findings highlight the potential of smartphone applications to help physicians make decisions at the bedside.

A new clinical study will test for the first time if MRI scans can be used for population screening to detect prostate cancer more accurately. The current prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is considered too unreliable for population screening, and the scientists will study if MRI could be used to screen men to pick up cancers

There may be a critical window for overweight kids to get to a healthy level. Those who shed their extra pounds by age 13 had the same risk of developing diabetes in adulthood as others who had never weighed too much, a large study of Danish men found. Diabetes can develop when the body can’t

Researchers are now able to use induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to form a model of human adult-like cardiac muscle by introducing electric and mechanical stimulation at an early stage. Since this muscle is similar to the adult heart, it could serve as a better model for testing the effects of drugs and toxic substances

More globalization means more multinational corporations are increasingly sending their employees overseas, swelling the ranks of expatriates in foreign locales where they are strangers to the language, the culture and ways of doing business. A new study from Florida Atlantic University shows that expatriates’ personality characteristics have a lot to do with how well they

(HealthDay)—Energy-based devices are both safe and effective methods of nonsurgical treatment for feminine rejuvenation, according to a review published online March 10 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. Michael Gold, M.D., from the Gold Skin Care Center in Nashville, Tenn., and colleagues conducted a literature review to explore the safety, efficacy, tolerability, patient satisfaction, and

(HealthDay)—Outcomes-based pricing does not reduce the costs of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors, according to a research letter published online April 3 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Dhruv S. Kazi, M.D., from the University of California in San Francisco, and colleagues examined the effect of outcomes-based pricing on the cost-effectiveness of PCSK9

Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers have shown that mifepristone, a drug currently FDA-approved for chemical abortion, prevents the growth of vestibular schwannoma (also known as acoustic neuroma) cells. This sometimes-lethal intracranial tumor typically causes hearing loss and tinnitus. The findings, published online today in Scientific Reports, suggest that mifepristone is a promising drug candidate to

Spinal cord injuries impact more than 17,000 Americans each year, and although those with incomplete injuries may regain control of their limbs, overall muscle strength and mobility is weakened. Neurorehabilitation using robotic exoskeletons or electrical stimulation devices can help a person regain movement through repeated exercise. The amount of assistance through these devices during neurorehabilitation

When people hear that their memory will worsen as they age, the question on their minds becomes: what can we do to remember better? A recently published Baycrest study suggests that training programs can help, but only if they are tailored towards an individual’s specific memory difficulty, such as trouble remembering faces, voices or recent

A jolt of the unexpected can have far-reaching effects, according to new research from a University of Illinois expert who studies leadership and creativity. Surprises are memorable, able to garner attention and arouse emotion, but a less heralded effect is that they can serve to shift attitudes and provide an avenue to influence people, said