Tag: and

The most severe allergic reaction, anaphylaxis (or anaphylactic shock), is the result of an inappropriate immune reaction following the introduction of a usually harmless antigen into the body. The production of antibodies against this antigen (or allergen) allows the formation of antibody-antigen complexes that trigger a massive secretion of potent mediators, resulting in organ failure,

This article looks at the different types of mucous cyst, their causes, and how they can be treated. Types of mucous cyst There are two main types of mucous cysts that this article looks at: Oral mucous cysts Oral mucous cysts develop in the mouth. They appear near salivary gland openings, often on the lips

Attempted suicides and suicidal thoughts are on the rise among school-age children and teenagers, according to a new study published in Pediatrics. Based on data from 31 children’s hospitals around the country, the percentage of emergency room visits related to suicidal thoughts or attempts more than doubled over an 8-year period—from 0.66% in 2008 to

Rogue religious leaders and health practitioners who claim that homosexuality can be “fixed” could end up being prosecuted as the Andrews government orders an unprecedented inquiry into gay conversion therapy. Health Minister Jill Hennessy has asked Victoria’s Health Complaints Commissioner to conduct a broad-ranging investigation, and has not ruled out tougher laws to crack down on

Older people who enjoy a sexually active and emotionally close relationship with their partner tend to perform better at memory tests than sexually inactive older adults on a short-term basis, but this is not the case over a longer period of time. This is according to a study using data from more than 6000 adults

Using new analytic tools, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have decoded the epigenetic landscape for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a common autoimmune disease that affects more than 1.3 million Americans. In unveiling RA’s epigenome—the proteins and molecules that decorate DNA and help

Sleep is known to be important for creative thinking, but exactly how it helps and what role each sleep stage—REM and non-REM—plays remains unclear. A team of researchers have now developed a hypothesis, outlined in an Opinion published May 15 in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences, to explain how the interleaving of REM and

Researchers have discovered that the Skene glands share some of the same properties as the male prostate, which is located between the bladder and the penis. For example, both the prostate and the Skene glands contain prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and PSA phosphatase (PSAP), which are enzymes that can indicate the health of the prostate in

Machine learning has detected one of the commonest causes of dementia and stroke, in the most widely used form of brain scan (CT), more accurately than current methods. New software, created by scientists at Imperial College London and the University of Edinburgh, has been able to identify and measure the severity of small vessel disease,

The introduction of the contraceptive pill in the 1960s was a major milestone for female empowerment. It allowed women to separate sex from procreation, and to increase their participation in work outside the home. Now, more than 100 million women worldwide use the oral contraceptive pill to prevent pregnancy or control their menstruation. But the

Several studies have found that height and general cognitive ability, or intelligence, are positively associated. A recent study reveals a biological factor underlying this relationship: the size of the cerebral cortex. Reports from several studies have identified a link between height and general cognitive ability, or intelligence, but the mechanisms underlying this association are not

Since the oral contraceptive pill appeared on the market almost 60 years ago, it has been the preferred form of birth control for millions of women around the world. The pill is now so widely available, it’s easy to forget that its development symbolised a revolutionary shift in family planning and women’s reproductive rights. Before

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that strokes are the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States. They are more common and more likely to be fatal in women, while men tend to have strokes at a younger age. Being aware of all symptoms, including those specific to sex, can help

Are abnormal intestinal microorganisms a risk factor for developing cognitive impairment? Researchers at Rush University Medical Center are trying to answer that question with a new, National Institute on Aging-funded study that will explore how the intestinal microbiota—the bacteria in the intestine—influence the progression of cognitive decline and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Health care

April showers might bring May flowers, but they also bring the arrival of troublesome plants such as poison ivy and poison oak that can cause mild to severe allergic reactions. The signature leaves of three of the poison ivy plant carry an oil called urushiol that can be an irritant if touched, broken or burned.

Psychologists first described the syndrome in 1978. Research from 2011 suggests that approximately 70 percent of people will experience at least one episode of impostor syndrome in their lives. It may be especially prevalent among women considered to be high-achievers. Many people experience symptoms for a limited time, such as in the first few weeks

A new outbreak of Ebola that has killed 17 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo is thousands of miles (kilometres) from Nigeria. But health officials in Abuja this week moved quickly to introduce emergency measures, including screening visitors from the DRC and neighbouring countries—and for good reason. Not only was Nigeria one of the

While living in a mother’s womb, cushioned by amniotic fluid and protected from the outside world, babies have only minimal exposure to microorganisms like bacteria and viruses. Shortly after birth, a newborn’s collection of microorganisms – their microbiome – begins to develop as a succession of bacteria colonizes their gut. A variety of factors, such

The level of diversity of the ‘good bacteria’ in our digestive systems has been found to be linked to a feature of cardiovascular disease – hardening of the arteries – in new research by experts at the University of Nottingham and King’s College London. The gut microbiome is under increasing scrutiny in medical research as

Recent advances in scientific understanding of how posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops and persists may lead to more effective treatment and even prevention of this debilitating disorder, according to the May/June special issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry. A growing body of evidence helps psychiatrists to understand the aspects of brain structure and function involved