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The Australian Medical Association (AMA) recently declared climate change a health emergency, reflecting similar positions taken by a growing list of peak medical bodies around the world. The AMA’s statement highlights the significant impacts climate change is having on physical health, including an increase in climate-related deaths. The World Health Organisation regards climate change as

Two years after discovering a way to neutralize a rogue protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease, University of Alberta Distinguished University Professor and neurologist Jack Jhamandas has found a new piece of the Alzheimer’s puzzle, bringing him closer to a treatment for the disease. In a study published in Scientific Reports, Jhamandas and his team found

In a paper published today in the Journal of Medical Screening, researchers from King’s College London and Queen Mary University of London have found that despite free cancer screening programmes, only 35% take part in all offered programmes. In England, women are invited for screening for three types of cancer concurrently in their sixties; for

Scientists have shown for the first time evidence that early sampling of blood for microorganisms in sepsis is critical to treating the common and potentially fatal condition. In an international study including researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC), McGill University and Harvard Medical School, scientists found that in order to better treat sepsis,

Mosquitoes are more likely to acquire the dengue virus when they feed on blood with low levels of iron, researchers report in the 16 September issue of Nature Microbiology. Supplementing people’s diets with iron in places where both iron deficiency anemia and dengue fever are a problem could potentially limit transmission of the disease, but

IUDs can lower a woman’s risk of developing ovarian cancer by more than 30%, study finds Women who used intrauterine devices (IUDs) for birth control could lower their risk of ovarian cancer by between 15% and 32% The risk was mitigated whether women used hormonal or non-hormonal IUDs  Researchers believe it’s because IUDs combat estrogen, the hormone

(HealthDay)—The prevalence of short sleep duration increased among working American adults from 2010 to 2018, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in the Journal of Community Health. Jagdish Khubchandani, M.B.B.S., Ph.D., from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and James H. Price, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the University of Toledo in Ohio, used data

New Kent-led research shows that popular mobile phone games could provide a new tool to help doctors spot early signs of cognitive decline, some of which may indicate the onset of serious conditions like dementia. Investigating the link between patterns of tap, swipe and rotational gestures during mobile game play and the users’ cognitive performance,

Perception is utterly baffling. We can precisely describe the biological structure of eyes and brains. We can measure the electrochemical impulses and electrical fields generated by neurons. But reason fails us when we attempt to explain how these physical processes cause all the vivid colours, textures and objects that appear in visual perception. In fact,

How is the retina formed? And how do neurons differentiate to become individual components of the visual system? By focusing on the early stages of this complex process, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, in collaboration with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), have identified the genetic programs governing the birth of

Doctors have found that children who have been in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) for sepsis have a significantly increased risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), with around 1/3 showing PTSD symptoms. In some young people, these may persist for years following discharge. There is some evidence that these children have altered immune responses during their

Humans can visually perceive the motion of a small object better than that of a large one. By contrast, according to a study reported in the journal Current Biology on September 5, babies under six months of age are better at seeing the movement of large objects than small objects. In adults, the motion of

Two new studies reveal that modern machine learning—a branch of artificial intelligence in which systems learn from data, identify patterns, and make decisions—may augment traditional diagnostics of kidney disease. The findings appear in an upcoming issue of JASN. Pathologists often classify various kidney diseases on the basis of visual assessments of biopsies from patients’ kidneys;

In any year, one in five Australians will experience symptoms of a mental illness. While drug treatments are widely used and can be effective, they sometimes come with troubling side-effects such as weight gain, headaches, and fatigue. Talking therapies can be just as effective for a number of mental health conditions including anxiety and depression,

Antibiotic resistance does not spread only where and when antibiotics are used in large quantities, ETH researchers conclude from laboratory experiments. Reducing antibiotic use alone is therefore not sufficient to curtail resistance, and should be done in conjunction with measures to prevent infection with resistant germs. Bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to common antibiotics. Often,

Hysterectomy is associated with an increased risk of long-term mental health issues, especially depression and anxiety, according to a cohort study by Mayo Clinic researchers involving nearly 2,100 women. The review of health records from 1980 to 2002 involved women who underwent removal of the uterus but not the ovaries. The study, which used data

Applebees’ $1 drink deals have long been a pretty great way to get some bang for your (literal) buck. But September’s $1 drink boasts FIVE different types of alcohol for just one dollar. The “Adios” is a bright blue cocktail that packs a serious (and quite alcoholic) punch. It’s made up of a mix of

A new type of ultrasound transducer from Fraunhofer should soon be delivering a fast and reliable diagnosis of infection of the middle ear. A U.S. company and the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS are collaborating on the development and application of this technology. The transducer is integrated in an otoscope and helps physicians decide

A large Cleveland Clinic study shows that weight-loss surgery performed in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity is associated with a lower risk of death and major adverse cardiovascular events than usual medical care. These patients also lost more weight, had better diabetes control, and used fewer medications for treatment of their diabetes and

Breakthrough research has revealed a new drug that may prevent the spread of malaria, and also treat people suffering with the deadly parasitic disease. The findings, which were delivered by an international team of scientists led by the University of Glasgow and published today in Science, offer fresh hope in the global fight against malaria.