Author: Jane Farrell

Skin
Skin Health

Indoor Tanning Ups Melanoma Risk

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If you or your teenage children or grandchildren believe that getting an indoor tan will prevent burns from outdoor sun exposure, youΓÇÖre courting the deadliest form of skin cancer. ThatΓÇÖs the finding of researchers at the University of Minnesota who published their study May 29th 2014 in the JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The team reports that indoor tanning raises the risk of developing melanoma even if a person has never had burns from either indoor or outdoor tanning.

Delivering a Drug ΓÇ£CocktailΓÇ¥ to Cancer Cells

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Biomedical engineering researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed daisy-shaped, nanoscale structures that are made predominantly of anti-cancer drugs and are capable of introducing a "cocktail" of multiple drugs into cancer cells.

The Hardest Part of Alzheimer's Caregiving

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Everyone whoΓÇÖs cared for an AlzheimerΓÇÖs patient knows how sad and frustrating the changes can be. But perhaps among all the effects of the illness ΓÇô difficult communication; hallucinations; wandering; disturbed sleep patterns ΓÇô aggression, often accompanied by agitation, can be the most unsettling. Patients may get so angry that they literally lash out at others, occasionally even putting caregivers in harmΓÇÖs way.

Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy and Hospitalization

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Scientists have zeroed in on which chemotherapy regiments are likelier to lead to hospitalizations for early stage breast cancer patients. The retrospective study, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, was conducted by researchers from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. For their analysis, the researchers looked at hospitalization-related insurance claims by patients who were undergoing varying chemotherapy regimens.

Oral Health

The Best Foods to Eat for Optimal Oral Health

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By Dr. K.J. McLaughlin Did you know that your diet can directly influence the level of your oral health? The health of your teeth and gums is extremely important as this area of your health can also have an impact upon the health of your heart, arteries, and immune system. Of course poor oral health also affects has your appearance. Your lifestyle, including smoking, alcohol consumption, and your diet, can greatly influence your teeth and gums.

Exercise

How to Get the Most Out of Exercise at Home

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By Soriyaa Bawa Whether you exercise at home or at the gym, some form of physical activity is essential for aging well. We know of the infinite benefits that exercise at home has on physical health, but more and more findings have been emerging as of late to support the idea that exercise at home is just as important for mental health.

How Long Should Hep C Treatment Last?

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As new treatments for hepatitis C virus (HCV) are approved, biomedical scientists are exploring their mechanisms and what they reveal about the virus. An online publication in May 2014 in Hepatology is the first to report real-time tracking of viral decay in the liver and blood in 15 patients with HCV.

Partners in ParkinsonΓÇÖs

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The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) and the AbbVie pharmaceutical company announced on May 27th 2014 the launch of Partners in ParkinsonΓÇÖs, a new strategic health initiative offering comprehensive support to help people with ParkinsonΓÇÖs disease (PD) optimize their care at every stage of the disease. ΓÇ£No two cases of ParkinsonΓÇÖs disease are alike.

If You're Considering A Cochlear Implant

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Cochlear implants ΓÇö which bypass damaged or nonworking parts of the inner ear ΓÇö can improve hearing for anyone with hearing loss that canΓÇÖt be adequately managed with conventional hearing aids. Cochlear implants are electronic devices that convert acoustic sounds into electrical pulses that stimulate the auditory nerve directly. The pulses, which are organized like the keys of a piano, are delivered to points along the inner ear. The pulses stimulate the auditory cells that represent the various speech sounds.

Sleep Health

Melatonin and Osteoporosis

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Melatonin is a widely touted sleep aid, but researchers have discovered that the supplement makes bones stronger in elderly rats and may do the same for humans. The research was led by Faleh Tamimi, a professor in the School of Dentistry, of McGill University, Montreal. It was published in the journal Rejuvenation Research. Although a good nightΓÇÖs sleep and osteoporosis may not seem to have any connection, in fact there is a link.

E-Cigs Not Healthy

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Researchers at the Mayo Clinic Division of Allergy and Immunology warn that although one of the initial "health benefits" proposed by e-cigarettes makers was that it would help those who smoke cigarettes cut back, that theory hasn't been proven and there's no evidence to support the claims. An article about the findings was published in the June 2014 issue of Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

Cancer Center

Cancer Center Ads Emotional, Not Informative

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Emotional reactions to cancer center consumer advertisements may lead to unrealistic expectations and inappropriate treatments, according to a study done at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and published in May 2014 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. A release from the American College of Physicians notes that in response to a rapidly increasing demand for cancer care in the United States, a growing number of cancer centers are marketing their clinical services directly to patients through consumer advertising.

Stroke

A Longer Window for Treating Stroke?

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There is an urgent need for developing new drugs that can alleviate the harmful effects of a stroke because current treatment possibilities using thrombolysis are limited to the first hours following a stroke. To that end, researchers at Lund University in Sweden are studying brain cells known as pericytes. The team discovered in 2012 that pericytes can for new cells. According to a release from the university, the 2014 research shows for the first time that pericytes are directly involved in the reaction of the brain tissue after stroke.

Heart Health

ΓÇ£Virtual HumanΓÇ¥ Shows How Stiff Arteries Raise BP

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High blood pressure is highly age-related and affects more than 1 billion people worldwide. The condition is a major source of morbidity and mortality, because it makes individuals more prone to heart failure, stroke and kidney disease. Yet doctors can't fully explain the cause of 90 per cent of all cases. Now a computer model of a "virtual human", created by researchers at Norwegian University of Life Sciences, suggests that stiff arteries alone are enough to cause high blood pressure. The study was published in May 2014 in in PLOS Computational Biology.

A New Understanding of the Anti-Cancer Drug Taxol

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Scientists have discovered exactly how the anti-cancer drug Taxol works, and the discovery could lead to designing better medicines. Taxol, one of the most widely prescribed anti-cancer drugs globally, disrupts the workings of microtubules, part of the cellΓÇÖs skeleton.

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