Popular Science articles about Health & Medicine

Researchers identify role of gene in tumor development, growth and progression

Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center and VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine researchers have identified a gene that may play a pivotal role in two processes that are essential for tumor development, growth and progression to metastasis. Scientists hope the...

Genetic analysis helps dissect molecular basis of cardiovascular disease

Using highly precise measurements of plasma lipoprotein concentrations determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), researchers led by Daniel Chasman at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in...

Rare pancreatic cancer patients may live longer when treated with radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is effective in achieving local control and palliation in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNTs), despite such tumors being commonly considered resistant to radiation therapy, according to a...

Medical imaging technique identifies very common condition in women that often goes undiagnosed

In women with lower urinary tract symptoms, a medical imaging technique called dynamic MRI allows clinicians to diagnose pelvic organ prolapse — a condition that often goes undiagnosed on static...

Preventing H1N1 spread to health care workers: Dilemma, debate and confusion

Leonard Mermel, D.O., medical director of infection control for Rhode Island Hospital, looks at the ongoing debate in light of the H1N1 pandemic, what past research tells us about the spread of influenza, and what is missing in the debate in a commentary in the December issue of the <i>Lancet Infectious Diseases</i>.A commentary in the December issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases brings to light the gaps in knowledge on the transmission of a common pathogen – the influenza virus –...

Laser therapy can aggravate skin cancer

High irradiances of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) should not be used over melanomas. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Cancer studied the pain relieving, anti-inflammatory 'cold laser', finding...

Reflux esophagitis due to immune reaction, not acute acid burn

Research by Drs. Stuart Spechler and Rhonda Souza suggests that gastroesophageal reflux disease might actually be an immune-mediated injury rather than a direct result of acidic digestive juices burning the esophagus.Contrary to current thinking, a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) might not develop as a direct result of acidic digestive juices burning the esophagus, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers...

Scripps research scientists find new link between insulin and core body temperature

A team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a direct link between insulin—a hormone long associated with metabolism and metabolic disorders such as diabetes—and core body...

Highlighting racial disparities increases coverage and effectiveness of health news

Glen T. Cameron is the director and co-founder of the Health Communication Research Center at the University of Missouri.Effective communication of health news is needed to raise awareness and encourage behavior changes in populations who experience health disparities, or inequalities in health status, according to the U.S. Department...

Study raises concerns about outdoor second-hand smoke

Indoor smoking bans have forced smokers at bars and restaurants onto outdoor patios, but a new University of Georgia study in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

Engineer designs micro-endoscope to seek out early signs of cancer

Traditional endoscopes provide a peek inside patients' bodies. Now, a University of Florida engineering researcher is designing ones capable of a full inspection.

Barn personnel experience higher-than-average rates of respiratory symptoms

The estimated 4.6 million Americans involved in the equine industry may be at risk of developing respiratory symptoms due to poor air quality in horse barns, according to a questionnaire study undertaken earlier this year by investigators at Tufts University's...

Mother's depression a risk factor in childhood asthma symptoms, study suggests

This is investigator Kristin Riekert, Ph.D., from Johns Hopkins.Maternal depression can worsen asthma symptoms in their children, according to research from Johns Hopkins Children's Center published online in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology.

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Novel K-anonimity algorithm safeguards access to data

As electronic health records become more widely deployed, increasing amounts of health information are being collected. This data has many beneficial applications, such as research, public health, and health system...

Cigarettes harbor many pathogenic bacteria: Study

"We were quite surprised to identify such a wide variety of human bacterial pathogens in these products," says lead researcher Amy R. Sapkota, an assistant professor in the University of Maryland's School of Public Health.Cigarettes are "widely contaminated" with bacteria, including some known to cause disease in people, concludes a new international study conducted by a University of Maryland environmental health researcher and microbial...

Radiology procedure may help increase long-term survival in patients with severe liver cancer

In patients with unresectable (unable to be removed by surgery) liver cancer, an interventional radiology procedure called triple-drug transcatheter arterial chemoemobolization (TACE) followed by a liver transplant may significantly increase...

Carvedilol shown to have unique characteristics among beta blockers

In a new study, researchers report that a class of heart medications called beta-blockers can have a helpful, or harmful, effect on the heart, depending on their molecular activity.

Tips from the Journals of the American Society for Microbiology

Bacterially Produced Antifungal on Skin of Amphibians May Protect Against Lethal Fungus

Dispensing prescription drugs in 3-month supplies reduces drug costs by a third

“The use of three-month supplies of prescription drugs is now confirmed as a potent method that doctors, patients and third-party payers can use to help bring down health care costs,” said G. Caleb Alexander, M.D., M.S., assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago Medical Center.Purchasing prescription drugs in a three-month supply rather than a one-month supply has long been regarded as a way to reduce the cost of drugs for patients and third-party payers....

High blood pressure easy to miss in children with kidney disease

Spot blood pressure readings in children with chronic kidney disease often fail to detect hypertension – even during doctor's office visits — increasing a child's risk for serious heart problems,...

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Drug studied as possible treatment for spinal injuries

Researchers have shown how an experimental drug might restore the function of nerves damaged in spinal cord injuries by preventing short circuits caused when tiny "potassium channels" in the fibers are exposed by trauma. The compound also might be developed as a treatment for multiple sclerosis. This diagram illustrates how the drug functions as a "channel blocker," meaning it permits the conduction of signals even though the protective myelin insulation has been damaged.Researchers have shown how an experimental drug might restore the function of nerves damaged in spinal cord injuries by preventing short circuits caused when tiny "potassium channels" in the fibers...

Women can quit smoking and control weight gain

Many women don't quit smoking because they are afraid of gaining weight. That's because nicotine suppresses the appetite and boosts a smoker's metabolism.

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