Our Reader Score [Total: 0 Average: 0] A recent study looked at whether a rectal examination performed by family doctors is useful in screening for prostate cancer. Current estimates state that over one million men receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer every year. The prostate is a small, walnut-sized organ sitting just below the bladder
Month: June 2018
Our Reader Score [Total: 3 Average: 4.3] A new review published in Toxicon describes the properties of animal venoms and highlights their use as potential therapeutic agents. Thinking of snake, scorpions, and spiders draws an image of poisonous creatures capable of inflicting deadly and debilitating poisonous bites. Who would have thought that some animal venoms
Our Reader Score [Total: 4 Average: 4.3] Researchers review existing paradigms in mindfulness research and how it has helped tackle addiction. They also discuss the future of this approach. Bio-behavioural science continues to give us new insights into the mechanisms underlying addiction. However, most findings in this area of research have been focused on novel
Are you tired of eating the same old foods every day? Have you had enough of your old furniture? Is your daily routine a drag? There’s a simple way to regain lost enjoyment, a study says. Scientists find how to make the most mundane things more enjoyable — and it’s very easy, they say. When
Every woman’s experience of miscarriage is different. Some people might want to know how long the process lasts so that they can prepare both mentally and physically. Miscarriage, or pregnancy loss, is classified as a pregnancy that ends before 20 weeks. It is more common than many people think, occurring in about 8–20 percent of
Our Reader Score [Total: 3 Average: 3] In a recent article published in JAMA, the US Preventive Services Task Force released a statement that they do not recommend ovarian cancer screening for women who do not show symptoms. Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer-related deaths in American women and is responsible
Our Reader Score [Total: 1 Average: 4] A recent study investigated how a discriminatory work environment can negatively impact workplace well-being, and the support employers can provide. We live in a global world with diverse workplaces and free movement. While there are legislative frameworks in place for vulnerable people, discrimination in the workplace is still
In the context of an ever-louder international debate on whether patients with severe forms of epilepsy should be allowed to use medical cannabis to manage their condition, the Food and Drug Administration have just officially approved one such drug. The Food and Drug Administration have just approved a cannabis-based drug for the first time. Recently,
A new study examines the impact of narcissism on adolescents’ school performance. The findings may help us to see this personality trait in a more positive light. Narcissism could make teenagers more self-confident, more mentally resilient, and better students. In specialist literature, narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism form the “Dark Triad” of personality traits. The phrase
A vitamin B-12 level test checks the amount of vitamin B-12 in the blood or urine to gauge the body’s overall vitamin B-12 stores. Vitamin B-12 is necessary for several bodily processes, including nerve function and the production of DNA and red blood cells. A person whose vitamin B-12 levels are outside of the normal
Our Reader Score [Total: 1 Average: 5] A recent study evaluated whether supplements with a fermented milk mixture would reduce the negative effects associated with high-intensity exercise. The intestinal system helps to protect the body from dangerous pathogens. Exercise has been shown to compromise this function by affecting the intestinal barrier. Intense physical activity can
Our Reader Score [Total: 1 Average: 5] A recent study suggests that for some infections, short-course oral antibiotics work just as well as long course antibiotics for infections. Antibiotic resistance is on the rise. Bacterial microorganisms have begun to recognise the methods by which antibiotics act in order to kill them. When these resistant bacteria multiply,
Researchers may have found a promising new treatment for a genetic form of autism. Using experimental cancer drugs, scientists reversed the condition in mice. It may soon be possible to reverse and even prevent autism. According to the most recent estimates, 1 in 59 children in the United States have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
What is chlorothiazide? Chlorothiazide is a drug that helps treat water retention and high blood pressure. Chlorothiazide is a prescription drug available in the form of a tablet or solution to be taken by mouth. It may also be taken as an injection. The oral tablets are only available as a generic drug, whereas the
What is balsalazide? Balsalazide is a treatment for ulcerative colitis. Balsalazide is a prescription drug available as a capsule and film-coated tablet. Both forms are taken by mouth. These capsules are available under the brand-name drug Colazal. They are also available as a generic drug. In tablet form, these pills are available under the brand-name
What is acitretin? Acitretin is an effective treatment for severe psoriasis. Acitretin is a prescription drug. It is available as an oral capsule and as a brand-name drug called Soriatane. It’s also available as a generic drug. Acitretin belongs to a class of drugs called retinoids. Retinoids relate to retinol, or vitamin A. Acitretin works
A healthful diet includes a variety of fruits and vegetables of many colors, whole grains and starches, good fats, and lean proteins. Eating healthfully also means avoiding foods with high amounts of added salt and sugar. In this article, we look at the top 10 benefits of a healthful diet, as well as the evidence
Our Reader Score [Total: 0 Average: 0] Despite being the gold standard, a recent publication in Annals of Medicine suggests that randomized controlled trials may not be as unbiased as scientists believe. Randomization is an important element of modern clinical trials. It refers to the process of randomly allocating participants to either the experimental or
Our Reader Score [Total: 0 Average: 0] A recent clinical trial investigated the safety of the three most commonly used drugs for quitting smoking: nicotine-replacement therapy, varenicline, and bupropion. Cigarette smoking is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. Patients who smoke have an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, diseases of blood vessels outside the
One day, people with type 2 diabetes might be able to regulate their blood sugar by drinking tea or coffee, thanks to synthetic biology. Coffee could hold the answer to managing type 2 diabetes. Scientists at ETH Zurich in Switzerland have designed and tested a synthetic gene circuit that responds to beverage concentrations of caffeine.
Individuals with type 1 diabetes must inject themselves with the required dose of insulin daily to manage their condition. In the future, injections may no longer be necessary; scientists are developing a viable way of delivering insulin in pill form. Researchers have developed a pill for the oral delivery of insulin, and they hope that
Pollen is vital to plant growth, but it can cause unpleasant symptoms for people with pollen allergies. During growing seasons, pollen spreads through the air and fertilizes plants. When people with allergies breathe in this pollen, their body identifies it as a threat, which can trigger an allergic reaction. In this article, learn about the
Usually, newborns grunt when they learn how to pass stool. However, this grunting can occasionally indicate a health issue, such as trapped mucus, gastroesophageal reflux or irregular breathing. In this article, we explore the reasons that newborns grunt. We also discuss accompanying symptoms, home remedies, and when to see a doctor. Is newborn grunting normal?
Our Reader Score [Total: 0 Average: 0] A recent review on nanomedicine outlines how nanoparticles can be used to deliver drugs which fight cancer, including both the potential and the challenges. One of the greatest challenges in treating cancer is delivering drugs to tumor sites effectively with minimum side effects. The most common form of
Our Reader Score [Total: 0 Average: 0] Researchers investigated how overweight and obese adolescents viewed physical activity to gain more insight into how to promote active lifestyles. The increase of obesity in adolescence has become a serious public health concern. Adolescents with a high body mass index (BMI) have a higher chance of carrying obesity
Our Reader Score [Total: 0 Average: 0] In a new review in the New England Journal of Medicine, Al-Chalabi and Brown review the promises of gene therapy using CRISPR-Cas9 for ALS treatment. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a neurological disease that affects the nerves that allow us to control our voluntary muscles. Voluntary muscles
Our Reader Score [Total: 0 Average: 0] An article in the BMJ recently published the findings of a five-year study on the effects of a healthy lifestyle on colorectal cancer. One in 24 women and one in 22 men will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in their lifetime. The American Cancer Society provides guidelines to
Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia typically associated with older adults. However, early-onset Alzheimer’s disease occurs before the age of 65. Alzheimer’s causes memory problems and a variety of related symptoms. It is a degenerative disease, which means the symptoms will get worse over time. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s is the most