Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Dementia patient increase demands P.E.I. plan
A faster than anticipated increase in dementia patients is adding urgency to the need for a plan to deal with the disease on P.E.I., says the Alzheimer Society of P.E.I.
Women With Atrial Fibrillation Are At Significantly Higher Risk Of Stroke And Death Compared To Men
Even though the incidence of atrial fibrillation is higher in men than women, a review of past studies and medical literature shows that women are more likely than men to...
Breathing Technique Can Reduce Frequency, Severity Of Asthma Attacks
Researchers are expanding a study that shows promise for reducing both the expense and suffering associated with chronic asthma. A four-week program teaches asthmatics how to better control their condition...
Flooded St. John's hospital slowly resuming services
X-ray services resumed Tuesday at the St. John's hospital that was affected by weekend flooding, but hospital officials aren't sure when surgeries will restart.
Banning smoking in public places and workplaces is good for the heart
Public smoking bans appear to significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, particularly among younger individuals and nonsmokers, according to a new study published in the 29 September issue of...
Most major deltas are sinking, study finds
Most of the world's low-lying river deltas are sinking due to human activity, making them increasingly vulnerable to flooding and putting tens of millions of people at risk, a new...
Radiological treatment method spares patients surgery and offers 89 percent cost savings
Pericardial effusion, the collection of fluid around the heart, typically occurs in patients following heart surgery and is usually treated using an invasive surgical drainage technique. However researchers have discovered...
Adolescent alcohol expsoure may lead to long-term risky decision making
(PhysOrg.com) -- Picture this. A bunch of adolescent rats walk into a bar and start consuming Jell-O shots. Lots of them.
Image-guided treatment for deep venous thrombosis could improve patients' long-term outcomes
Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) is a serious condition that involves the formation of a blood clot inside of a deep vein usually in the legs. A patient with DVT is...
CFIA warns of possible salmonella in spinach
Queen Victoria brand fresh spinach sold in four provinces may be contaminated with salmonella bacteria and should not be eaten, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency warns.
Radiologists and engineers develop a modified catheter to reduce contrast material injuries
Though rare, IV contrast material administration can sometimes result in patient injury. However researchers have developed a modified catheter that may prevent such events from occurring, according to a study...
Paralyzed Rats Walk Again
The findings suggest that the regeneration of severed nerve fibers is not required for paraplegic rats to learn to walk again.
Radiologists find a technique to significantly reduce patient radiation dose during CT angiography
Radiologists have discovered that prospective electrocardiogram (ECG) gating allows them to significantly reduce the patient radiation dose delivered during computed tomography (CT) angiography, a common noninvasive technique used to evaluate...
Treating Depression in Pregnancy
A new report from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which is published by Elsevier in the September-October 2009 issue of General Hospital...
Swine flu has not mutated into more serious disease: WHO
The head of the World Health Organization said Monday the swine flu virus had apparently not yet mutated into a more serious disease and that the development of vaccines was...
Researchers: Aspirin cuts colon cancer risk
(AP) -- People with a genetic susceptibility to colon cancer could cut their chances of developing the disease in half by taking a daily dose of aspirin, researchers said...
Scientists discover key factor in regulating placenta and fetal growth
UK scientists have shown that a common biological protein molecule called SHP-2 is crucial for encouraging placenta growth. The research is published today in Endocrinology.
For the record
Flu treatments: The source line of an article in the Sept. 14 Health section on what to do if you have the flu incorrectly referred to Dr. Aaron Glatt...
Bolivia: Swine flu 'mainly affecting the young'
A study shows that swine flu is affecting more patients aged 10–29 years old in Bolivia than any other age group but the strain is not as lethal as previously...
Breast Cancer Intervention Reduces Depression, Inflammation
A psychological intervention for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with symptoms of depression both relieves patients' depression and lowers indicators of inflammation in the blood. The new study involves patients...
Pediatric Strokes More Than Twice As Common As Previously Reported
Stroke in infants and children may be two to four times more common than previously reported. Most studies rely on diagnostic codes for billing data to assess stroke rates, but...
Two new book reviews about small but powerful things
I've updated my Science Shelf book review archive with two interesting titles, Pluto Confidential and Rising Plague.
New Genetic Link Between Cardiac Arrhythmias And Thyroid Dysfunction Identified
Genes previously known to be essential to the coordinated, rhythmic electrical activity of cardiac muscle -- a healthy heartbeat -- have now also been found to play a key role...
Swine flu may hit as many as one-third of Americans, Fauci says
H1N1 swine flu likely will be the dominate flu strain this year, out-competing seasonal flu and infecting as many as one-third of Americans, according to Anthony Fauci, the federal government's...
Who gets the antibiotics?
At Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, a medical resident and avid bike rider in his late 20s noticed a nasty red swelling in his groin. A day and...
Conditional Consciousness: Patients in Vegetative States Can Learn, Predicting Recovery
In patients who have survived severe brain damage, judging the level of actual awareness has proved a difficult process. And the prognosis can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. [More]
Skiers provide healthy baseline
Aeroplanes can carry oxygen for sick people – and to find out how much is needed, a study is looking at healthy, high-altitude skiers.
Depressing trends in liver transplants look set to continue
The length of time a patient in liver failure has to spend on the transplant waiting list is rising, and their chances of being among the chosen are diminishing. Almost one in...