Health Archives

New class of cancer drugs could work in colon cancers with genetic mutation

New class of cancer drugs could work in colon cancers with genetic mutation, U-M study finds — 15 percent of colorectal cancers have mutation that responds to PARP inhibitors – A class of drugs that shows promise in breast and ovarian cancers with BRCA gene mutations could potentially benefit colorectal cancer patients with a different genetic mutation, a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center finds.

Medical complicity in torture at Guant?namo Bay

Evidence of medical complicity in torture at Guant?namo Bay – Inspection of medical records, case files, and legal affidavits provides compelling evidence that medical personnel who treated detainees at Guant?namo Bay (GTMO) failed to inquire and/or document causes of physical injuries and psychological symptoms they observed in the detainees, according to a paper published this week in PLoS Medicine.

Vitamin E or metformin not effective in liver disease in children teens

Vitamin E or Metformin May Not Be Effective for Treating Liver Disease in Children and Teens – In contrast to previous preliminary data, use of vitamin E or the diabetes drug metformin was not superior to placebo on a measured outcome for treating nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in children and adolescents.

Anti inflammatory drugs reduce effectiveness of SSRI antidepressants

Anti-inflammatory drugs reduce effectiveness of SSRI antidepressants – Anti-inflammatory drugs, which include ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen, reduce the effectiveness of the most widely used class of antidepressant medications, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, taken for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders.

Tai chi may improve quality of life in chronic heart failure patients

Tai chi exercise appears to be associated with improved quality of life, mood and exercise self-efficacy in patients with chronic heart failure – Tai chi, the ancient Chinese meditative exercise, may improve quality of life, mood and exercise self-efficacy in chronic heart failure patients, according to research led by a team at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

2011 award winners in pediatric otolaryngology research announced by ASPO US

ASPO announces 2011 award winners in pediatric otolaryngology research – The American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO) will recognize the outstanding achievements of researchers in the field of pediatric otolaryngology during their annual meeting, April_29 ? May_1, 2011, in Chicago, IL.

Combination therapy provides hope for cure of infections in cystic fibrosis

Combination therapy provides hope for cure of dangerous infections of cystic fibrosis patients – An over-the-counter drug used to treat diarrhea combined with minocycline, an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, could one day change the lives of those living with cystic fibrosis.

Risk of blood clots from oral contraceptive pill

Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in Users of Oral Contraceptives Containing Drospirenone Or Levonorgestrel: Nested Case-Control Study Based on UK General Practice Research Database – Researchers revealed that the combined oral contraceptive containing drospirenone carries a higher risk of venous thromboembolism than do formulations containing levonorgestrel.

Are dietary supplements working against you?

Are dietary supplements working against you? Do you belong to the one-half of the population that frequently uses dietary supplements with the hope that it might be good for you? – Well, according to a study published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, there seems to be an interesting asymmetrical relationship between the frequency of dietary supplement use and the health status of individuals.

Cluttered brain doesn’t remember

Spring-cleaning the mind? — Concordia study shows a cluttered brain doesn’t remember – Lapses in memory occur more frequently with age, yet the reasons for this increasing forgetfulness have not always been clear. According to new research from Concordia University, older individuals have reduced learning and memory because their minds tend to be cluttered with irrelevant information when performing tasks.

Nanomedicine closer to reality, Stanford

Stanford research moves nanomedicine one step closer to reality – A class of engineered nanoparticles — gold-centered spheres smaller than viruses — has been shown safe when administered by two alternative routes in a mouse study led by investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Vaccine to prevent meningococcal disease in infants and toddlers

FDA approves the first vaccine to prevent meningococcal disease in infants and toddlers – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the use of Menactra in children as young as 9 months for the prevention of invasive meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y and W-135. Menactra already is approved for use in people ages 2 through 55 years.