Canadian Online Pharmacy

Medindia Health News

Medindia Health News

Link to Medindia Health News

Physical Exercise Benefits Asthma Patients

Posted:

Exercise programs can improve the quality of life in people with asthma, says study. The review by lead author Kristin Carson, a doctoral student specializing in respiratory medicine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide, Australia, also showed that, contrary to fears that patients and parents of asthmatic children sometimes have, exercise does not generally worsen the condition. The researchers included 21 randomized, controlled studies ...

Yoga During Menopause Reduces Insomnia

Posted:

A recent study finds that a 12-week yoga class and continuing to practice at home has been linked to less insomnia. Lead author Katherine Newton, PhD, a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute, said that many women suffer from insomnia during menopause, and it's good to know that yoga may help them. MsFLASH (Menopause Strategies: Finding Lasting Answers for Symptoms and Health) Network randomized controlled trial tried to see if ...

Cardiac Diseases Affecting Indian Women More, Say Doctors

Posted:

Heart diseases have emerged as the number one killer for Indian women, warn doctors. "Till recent times, it was believed that heart diseases are mostly confined to males, but statistics and reports from various medical studies have established that cardiac ailments are claiming more women (victims)," said L.K. Jha, senior cardiologist at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. Indian women account for 15 percent of the global burden of heart disease ...

Biological Risk Factor in Obesity-Related Cancers Pinpointed By Researcher

Posted:

Over a third of the new cancer cases expected to occur in the U.S. in 2013 will be related to overweight or obesity, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition. We may better understand why thanks to the work of one NYU Steinhardt researcher. Nutritional epidemiologist Niyati Parekh's latest research study, which appears in the journal iCancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention/i, concludes that disturbances in body insulin and glucose levels, specifically ...

ICU Ventilation may Trigger Mental Decline: Study

Posted:

Some form of mental dysfunction as reflected in anxiety, depression, and especially delirium is suffered by at least 30 percent of patients in intensive care units (ICUs). In mechanically-ventilated ICU patients, the incidence of delirium is particularly high, about 80 percent, and may be due in part to damage in the hippocampus, though how ventilation is increasing the risk of damage and mental impairment has remained elusive. Now, a new study published in the ...

'Microbial Clock' may Help Determine Time of Death: New CU-Boulder-led Study

Posted:

A powerful new tool: a microbial clock, in the quiver of forensic scientists attempting to determine the time of death in cases involving human corpses could be provided by an intriguing study led by the University of Colorado Boulder. The clock is essentially the lock-step succession of bacterial changes that occur postmortem as bodies move through the decay process. And while the researchers used mice for the new study, previous studies on the human microbiome ...

Among Adults 80 Years of Age and Older Prevalence of Poorer Kidney Function Increases: Study

Posted:

Older adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD; defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate [GFR; a measure of kidney function] of less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) have a high prevalence of concurrent complications and increased risk for adverse outcomes including mortality, cardiovascular disease, and kidney failure, find recent studies. A prior study demonstrated an increase in CKD prevalence between 1988-1994 and 1999-2004 for the general U.S. population. However, trends ...

For Patients in Emergency Department Decision-making Tool may Help Rule Out Brain Hemorrhage: Study

Posted:

A simple clinical decision rule that may help doctors identify patients with headache in the emergency department who have subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding in a certain area of the brain) was developed by researchers. The research can be found in the September 25 issue of iJAMA/i. "Headache accounts for approximately 2 percent of all emergency department visits, and subarachnoid hemorrhage is one of the most serious diagnoses, accounting for only 1 percent ...

Frequency of Bone Mineral Density Testing for Predicting Fracture Risk Questioned By Study

Posted:

A study has found that a second bone mineral density (BMD) screening four years after a baseline measurement provided little additional value when assessing risk for hip or other major osteoporotic fracture among older men and women untreated for osteoporosis. It also resulted in little change in risk classification used in clinical management. The findings question the common clinical practice of repeating a BMD test every 2 years and can be found in the September 25 issue ...

In Men With Metastatic Prostate Cancer Abiraterone Acetate Delays Quality of Life Decline: Study

Posted:

Abiraterone acetate is a recently FDA-approved drug used to treat men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. It significantly delays progression of pain and quality of life deterioration when taken in conjunction with prednisone. The study, published Sept. 24 in iLancet Oncology/i, was led by Ethan Basch, MD, director of the Cancer Outcomes Research Program at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Researchers ...

A Key Factor in Mortality in Type 1 Diabetes Is Social Deprivation: Study

Posted:

An independent risk factor for mortality in people with type 1 diabetes are the levels of social deprivation, as well as how well a patient controls their blood sugar. These are the findings of new research presented at this year's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Barcelona, Spain. The research is by the Diabetes Clinical Academic Group at King's Healthcare Partners, UK, and presented by Dr Stephen Thomas, Dept of Diabetes and Endocrinology, ...

Research: Hundreds of People Developing Alcohol-related Cirrhosis Could Be Prevented Using 'Traffic Light' Test

Posted:

Harmful drinking rates could be reduced by a simple 'traffic light' test that detects hidden liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in high risk populations. This could also potentially prevent hundreds of alcohol-related deaths a year. Devised by Dr Nick Sheron and colleagues at University of Southampton and Southampton General Hospital, the Southampton Traffic Light (STL) test, which costs about 50, could be used by GPs in the community. Published in the October ...

Exposures in Pregnant Women Reduced By Flame Retardant Ban

Posted:

Pregnant women's exposure to the substances, which are associated with health problems in both pregnant women and their newborns were lowered by phasing out the use of potentially harmful flame retardants in furniture foam, electronics and plastics. The new study, which was published in the ACS journal iEnvironmental Science (and) Technology/i, was the first to examine the phase-out's effectiveness. Ami Zota, an assistant professor at George Washington University, ...

Bone Hormone Influences Brain Development and Cognition in Mice Model

Posted:

Researchers have found that the skeleton, acting through the bone-derived hormone osteocalcin, exerts a powerful influence on prenatal brain development and cognitive functions such as learning, memory, anxiety and depression in adult mice. The researchers are from Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC). Findings from the mouse study could lead to new approaches to the prevention and treatment of neurologic disorders. The study was published today in the online ...

After 'Refused Service' at Hotel Bar Bear Leaves Quietly!

Posted:

After being told that he was unwelcome, a bear quietly left an Alaskan hotel, in a bizarre incident. Ariel Svetlik-McCarthy, bartender at the Alaskan Hotel and Bar in downtown Juneau, was minding her own, when the bear stumbled inside, the New York Daily News reported. The brave staffer managed to yell out "No bear! Get out! No! You can't be in here!" which made the bear quickly exit the bar and to go to the hotel lobby. The bar's owner ...

Study: Health Risks in Adulthood Associated With Childhood Abuse

Posted:

The effects of childhood abuse and lack of parental affection can last a lifetime, effecting both emotional and physical health later in life, reveals a new study. For instance, this "toxic" stress has been linked to elevated cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and other physical conditions posing a significant health risk. The research into the physical effects of abuse, however, has focused on separate, individual systems. The new ...

The Body's Energy-Producing 'Battery' can Either Spur or Stop Obesity

Posted:

Becoming obese or remaining lean can depend on the dynamics of the mitochondria, the body's energy-producing "battery". This is according to two new studies by Yale School of Medicine researchers featured as the cover story in the Sept. 26 issue of the journal iCell/i. Mitochondria are vital cellular organelles that generate and maintain proper energy levels in complex organisms. Using animal models, the Yale research team studied mitochondria ...

Clear Myths to Ensure a Healthy Heart

Posted:

A source of information, or misinformation, can be anything - a commercial, something you had read "a long time back", a neighbour - but over time, it often becomes something we staunchly believe in. Cardiologists say that in the process of treatment of many of their patients, they have to battle myths, some more common than others, which, if cleared, can go a long way in ensuring a healthy heart and a healthy future. Among some of the most common ...

Normal Blood Test can Help in Early Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease

Posted:

Scientists find a link between epigenetic changes (those molecular modifications that alter the behavior of genes without changing the DNA sequence) and Parkinson's disease. Those epigenetic changes appear to be great candidates as early stage biomarkers for Parkinson Disease. Researchers from University of California, San Diego have now shown that a distinctive pattern of epigenetic modifications (in this case called DNA methylation) is observed in ...

Drug Use by Drivers Linked to Triple 'fatal' Car Crash

Posted:

To a significantly increased risk of fatal crash involvement, a new study has linked drug use by drivers. Researchers from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, found that drug use is associated with a significantly increased risk of fatal crash involvement, particularly when used in combination with alcohol. The study provides critical data for understanding the joint effect of alcohol and drugs on driving safety. Data for the study ...

Human Brains are Wired to Favour Beautiful People: Study

Posted:

A compelling physiological explanation for the "beauty stereotype" is being provided by a new study, as to why human beings are wired to favour the beautiful ones. Studies have shown that humans subconsciously attribute positive social qualities (such as integrity, intelligence, and happiness) to physically attractive individuals. Even across cultures there exists a significant consensus on relative beauty: youthful facial features, including, for ...

Salvation Army Touch for South African Sex Show

Posted:

South Africa's annual "sexpo" drew an unusual exhibitor in the form of the Salvation Army on Friday. Tucked between sex-toy stands and skimpily dressed hostesses, the Christian group famed for its charity work said it was there on a mission to raise awareness about sex trafficking. "We are not here to judge anybody, that's not our job as Christians," said spokeswoman Major Carin Holmes. "We want to make people aware that there could be danger ...

Better Use of Antibiotics Could Help Fight the Superbugs

Posted:

Proper use of antibiotics could help fight the infection Clostridium difficile - the superbug. A team from the University of Leeds, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and Oxford University, mapped all cases of Clostridium difficile (C.diff) in Oxfordshire over a three-year period (2008 to 2011). C. diff causes severe diarrhoea, cramps and sometimes life-threatening complications, and has traditionally been thought to be transmitted within hospitals ...

Women With Advanced Breast Cancer may Benefit from Anti-Cancer Drug T-DM1

Posted:

New drugs promise to change the therapeutic landscape of breast cancer. First results from a phase III clinical trial of the combination drug, T-DM1, show that it significantly improves the length of time before the disease worsens in women with advanced HER2 positive breast cancer whose cancer has recurred or progressed despite previous treatments, including trastuzumab and lapatinib. In a late-breaking presentation to the 2013 European Cancer Congress ...

Colorectal Cancer Screening can Actually Work

Posted:

In Europe, screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) is highly effective in reducing mortality from the disease. Some of the resources currently being devoted to breast and prostate screening programmes, where the evidence of effectiveness is much less clear-cut, should be reallocated to the early detection of CRC, the 2013 European Cancer Congress (ECC2013) [1] will hear today (Sunday). Professor Philippe Autier, Vice President, Population Studies, at the ...

Outcomes may be Improved by Changing Laws, Attitudes of Police Response to Drug Overdose

Posted:

A change in the way police respond to drug-related overdose emergencies could contribute to improved outcomes of the victims and to the communities where overdoses occur, a recent study from Rhode Island Hospital has found. The study found that while law enforcement officers often serve as medical first responders, there is a lack of clarity as to what police can do, or should do, at the scene of an overdose. The study is published online in advance of print in ...

Football Finals can be Hazardous for Fans' Health

Posted:

During the grand finals over the next two weekends, Australian football and National Rugby League fans are forecast to consume 900 kg of saturated fat and more than 170 kg of salt. And the Heart Foundation is urging fans to take it easy to reduce risk of a heart attack. According to news.com.au, the Foundation says that an estimated 30,000 meat pies and 20,000 sausage rolls, with accompanying tomato sauce and hot chips will be served to footy fans at ...

Antibodies That can Help Effectively Treat Alzheimer's Disease Identified

Posted:

A new study published in the journal Neuron reports the development of antibody treatments that can prevent the accumulation of a toxic protein, known as tau proteins, in the brain and may lead to new therapies for treating patients with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.. In the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and several other neurodegenerative conditions, tau proteins aggregate together and become tangled, a process that interferes ...

Parkinson's Disease: Autologous Transplantation Shows Promising Results for IPS Cell Therapy

Posted:

A study comparing the impact of immune response in autologous transplantation (transplantation of cells from the subject's own body) and allogeneic transplantation (transplantation of cells from a different individual of the same species) has been conducted by researchers from Kyoto University led by Professor Jun Takahashi and Assistant Professor Asuka Morizane. Parkinson's disease is a progressive and intractable disease of the nervous system in which the loss ...

Being Part of Health-Specific Social Media Makes It Easier to Kick the Butt

Posted:

Quitting smoking is easier for people who are part of health-specific social networking sites compared to those who are not, a new study published in the Journal of Communication reveals. Joe Phua, University of Georgia, examined health-based social networking sites that focus on helping members to quit smoking. He found that as participation on these sites increased, members began to build a sense of community on the sites. Specifically, they started to identify ...

Older Women from Appalachia Region in the US Have Higher Rates of Late Stage Breast Cancer

Posted:

A new study published in the journal Health Services Research reveals that older women from poorest areas of Appalachia in the US have higher incidence of later stage breast cancer as they fail to get regular breast cancer screening. About 25 million people live in the 13 states that make up the Appalachian region, a 205,000-square-mile region that follows the spine of the Appalachian Mountains from southern New York to northern Mississippi. The National Cancer ...

Origin of Brown Fat Cells Important in Weight Maintenance Identified

Posted:

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified how new fat cells are formed in energy-storing fat pads. In particular, researchers sought to find out the origin of "brown" fat cells and whether humans can make more of them in order to burn extra calories - a finding that could have significant impact in battling obesity and related diseases. "Much of the current excitement in the obesity field stems from recent observations highlighting ...

Protein Misfolding Linked With ALS

Posted:

A joint study conducted by researchers from the US and Australia has identified an unusual amino acid called BMAA which can be inserted into neuroproteins, which leads them to misfold and aggregate, a characteristic seen in brain diseases such as ALS and Alzheimer's. BMAA has been detected in the brain tissues of ALS patients. In an article published in iPLOS ONE/i scientists at the University of Technology Sydney and the Institute for Ethnomedicine ...

New Hepatitis Virus Nothing but Glassware Contamination

Posted:

Researchers at UC San Francisco said that a previous report released early this year by scientists warning of a new hepatitis virus was a false alarm as the virus was a contaminant present in a type of glassware used in many research labs. The researchers added that their findings highlight the problems associated with the 'next generation' lab techniques that are used in tracking new agents of disease. In research published online September 11, 2013, in the Journal ...

Experts Opine Pharmacy Research can Help Raise Health Literacy Standards

Posted:

A new report titled 'Pharmacy, Medication Use, and the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy' that has been published in the journal Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy suggests that researching which tools are effective in healthcare can help in achieving goals set by the 2010 US National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy and help improve communications and healthcare. Health literacy is defined by the Institute of Medicine as "the degree ...

New Model to Study Tissue Formation During Embryonic Development

Posted:

A new model that sheds light on how tissue organizes into organs and layers during embryonic development has been developed by a group of researchers led by Lisa Manning, assistant professor of physics in Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences. Their findings are the subject of a Sept. 25th article in the journal iInterface/i (Royal Society Publishing, 2013) and may have major implications for the study of tissue pattern formation and malformation. ...

Specific Gene Variant Common Among Elite Athletes of 'Power Sports'

Posted:

A new study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research reveals that elite athletes in power sports have a specific gene variant that may provide them with an advantage over non-athletes. A "functional polymorphism" of the angiotensiogen (AGT) gene is two to three times more common in elite power athletes, compared to nonathletes or even elite endurance athletes, according to the new research by Pawe (and) #322; Ci (and) #281;szczyk, PhD, of University of ...

Unfamiliar Case When Covering for Another Physician Makes Oncology Physicians Experience Increased Effort

Posted:

Researchers at University of North Carolina have found that the perception of increased levels of workload is high among radiation oncology physicians who come across unfamiliar cases when covering for another physician and this perception may also affect their performance. In a paper presented at the 2013 American Society for Radiation Oncology conference, study authors Prithima Mosaly, PhD, and Lukasz Mazur, PhD, assistant professors in the UNC Department of ...

Research Sheds Light on Maintaining Fluid and Electrolyte Balance in the Kidney

Posted:

Clinicians are well aware that distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA) develops in response to the loss of acid secretion by the intercalated cells in the kidney. The inability to remove acid from the body results in low blood potassium levels (hypokalemia), dehydration, and excess calcium in the urine (hypercalcemia), which leads to urinary stone formation. Recently, patients with dRTA have been identified with genetic mutations that lead to the inactivation of proton ...

Advanced Smartphone Microscope Brings Single-Virus Detection to Remote Locations

Posted:

Scientists are reporting an advance in smartphone-based imaging that could help physicians in far-flung and resource-limited locations monitor how well treatments for infections are working by detecting individual viruses. Their study on the light-weight device, which converts the phone into a powerful mini-microscope, appears in the journal iACS Nano/i. Aydogan Ozcan and colleagues note that conventional imaging techniques for detecting disease-causing ...

Highly Targeted Radiation Therapy Effective Alternative for Treating Elderly Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Posted:

Researchers at Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital reveal that a highly targeted cancer radiation therapy can be a safe and effective alternative for treating elderly pancreatic cancer patients who are unable to undergo surgery or combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Called stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), the study finds patients lived, on average, six to seven months longer following treatment with minimal side-effects even when they had other severe comorbidities ...

Making a Common Cosmetics, Food Products and Sunblock Ingredient Safer

Posted:

A particular type of titanium dioxide, a common ingredient in cosmetics, toothpaste, food products and sunscreen - could reduce the potential health risks associated with the widely used compound. The report on the substance, produced by the millions of tons every year for the global market, appears in the ACS journal iChemical Research in Toxicology/i. Francesco Turci and colleagues explain that titanium dioxide (TiO2) is generally considered a ...

Here's How You can Tell Your Relationship is Over

Posted:

If you experiencing more heart aches than romantic heart flutters in your relationship, it's probably time to move on. Relationship psychologist and dating coach for GalTime.com, Jennifer Oikle, Ph.D., has revealed that it's best to let go of a meaning-less relationship than stick with it, the Huffington Post reported. Oikle also listed a few signs that can help you decide if the relationship is going through a dull phase or if it's time to call it quits. ...

Ads That Warn of Drugs' Side Effects may Help Increase Its Sales

Posted:

A new study has revealed that rather than make people wary of purchasing them, drug ads that warn of serious side effects improves the customers' opinions and leads to increased sales, especially when there is a delay between seeing the ad and deciding to buy the product. "Messages that warn consumers about potentially harmful side effects - presumably with the intent to nudge them to act more cautiously - can ironically backfire," says psychological scientist Ziv ...

New Dental Implant can Fight Infection, Improve Healing and Last a Lifetime

Posted:

A researcher at Michigan Technological University is working on developing a new dental implant made by using nanotechnology that not only successfully mimic the look and feel of natural tooth, similar to the current implants made with titanium, but also reduces the chances of it falling off or the need to remove them. "Dental implants can greatly improve the lives of people who need them," said Tolou Shokuhfar, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering. ...

New Soap Bars Make Perfect Insulation for Homes

Posted:

Environment friendly bars of soap are the ideal material for insulation purposes in homes, claim experts. While looking for cheap, green alternatives to polystyrene and polythene-based insulation, building scientists from Salford University found that giant bars of soap made out of animal waste or vegetable fat could be just as efficient at keeping heat locked inside the house, the Mirror reported. Experts in question, Yusuf Arayici and Lee Read asserted ...

Gold Flavoured Tea Neither Harmful Nor Beneficial to Health, Say Experts

Posted:

22-carat gold tea contains such a minute amount of gold that it neither harms nor benefits consumers, reveal experts. According to Khalid Sharif, Director of the Food Control Department at Dubai Municipality, 'gold tea' Gulf News reported. Addressing the claims that gold tea is merely a commercial product that allegedly exploits consumers, the senior municipal official clarified that a warning has not been issued against tea mixed with gold, ...