Heart Health A Deadly Protein In The Heart By Jane Farrell article A genetic variant linked to sudden cardiac death leads to protein overproduction in heart cells, according to a new study.
_ Breast Cancer Chemotherapy and Hospitalization By Jane Farrell article 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 By Jane Farrell article 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.
Pain Management 6 Myths About Painkillers By Jane Farrell article By Richard W. Rosenquist, MD , Chairman of Pain Management at Cleveland Clinic When it comes to prescription pain medications, thereΓÇÖs a lot of misinformation out there.
_ Exercise How to Get the Most Out of Exercise at Home By Jane Farrell article 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.
_ Relationships & Love Toxic Relationships Raise Your Blood Pressure By Sondra Forsyth article Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have shown what you have probably suspected all along: Unpleasant or demanding interpersonal encounters increase hypertension risk. That unfortunate result is particularly true for women 51 to 64 -- but not men. The study was published in May 2014 in the American Psychological Association's journal Health Psychology.
A Better Tool for Tracking MS By article Imaging scientists at Western University's Robarts Research Institute in London and Canada have developed a better way to track the progression of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) from its earliest stages. Led by Ravi Menon, PhD, the researchers used what's called "Quantitative Susceptibility (QS) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)," to measure damage in specific areas of the brain which the study showed to be common to all patients. The findings were published in advance online in May 2014 in Radiology.
_ How Long Should Hep C Treatment Last? By Jane Farrell article 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.
_ Sleep Health Melatonin and Osteoporosis By Jane Farrell article 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.
Cancer Center Cancer Center Ads Emotional, Not Informative By Jane Farrell article 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? By Jane Farrell article 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 By Jane Farrell article 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.
_ Common Beliefs About Obesity Could Be Wrong By Jane Farrell article Why do we have an obesity epidemic? Experts have come up with a number of reasons, and most of them might be wrong, according to new research. The findings, by investigators from the University of Illinois, Champaign, indicate that people have better access to fresh, affordable food than they did years ago.
_ Healthy Diet & Nutrition Organic Foods: Are They Safer and More Nutritious? By Sondra Forsyth article By Sondra Forsyth
_ Pain Management New Target for Chronic Pain Treatment By Jane Farrell article Researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine have found a new target for treating chronic pain: an enzyme called PIP5K1C. In a paper published on may 21st 2014 in the journal Neuron, a team of researchers led by Mark Zylka, PhD, Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology, shows that PIP5K1C controls the activity of cellular receptors that signal pain. By reducing the level of the enzyme, the scientist demonstrated that the levels of a crucial lipid called PIP2 in pain-sensing neurons is also lessened, thus decreasing pain.
_ Digestive Health Possible Breakthrough for IBD Tx By Jane Farrell article A microRNA cluster believed to be important for suppressing colon cancer plays a critical role in wound healing in the intestine, according to researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. The findings could provide a fresh avenue for investigating chronic digestive diseases and for potentially repairing damage in these and other disease or injury settings. A release from the medical center quotes Dr. Joshua Mendell as saying, "We identified a novel role for microRNAs in regulating wound healing in the intestine.
_ A Step Forward In the Fight Against Alzheimer's By Jane Farrell article Researchers have developed a molecular compound that reversed the symptoms of AlzheimerΓÇÖs in mice. The compound also reduced inflammation of the brain. The compound, antisense oligonucleotide (OL-1), ΓÇ£reversed learning and memory deficits and brain inflammation in mice that are genetically engineered to model AlzheimerΓÇÖs disease,ΓÇ¥ said Susan Farr, Ph.D., research professor of geriatrics at Saint Louis University. The findings were published in the Journal of AlzheimerΓÇÖs Disease.
_ Breast Cancer Double Mastectomy DoesnΓÇÖt Increase Survival By Sondra Forsyth article Many women diagnosed with cancer in one breast undergo a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) to remove both breasts. Yet removing the unaffected breast has not been shown to increase survival, according to a study done at the University of Michigan and published online May 21st 2014 in Jama Surgery.