Dutch researcher Sebastiaan Herber has developed a sensor which can detect poor blood circulation in the stomach. A high level of carbon dioxide in the stomach is a characteristic of this so-called gastrointestinal ischaemia. By measuring this concentration the sensor can indicate how good or bad the circulation in the stomach wall is.
The main components of the sensor are a pH-sensitive polymer (hydrogel) and a micro pressure sensor. The polymer contains a large quantity of
A new type of drug originally developed for lung cancer can reduce the size of breast cancer tumours when taken in combination with other drugs. A London-based group of scientists, reporting today (Tuesday 17 May) in The Lancet Oncology, say that taking the new drug combination prior to surgery could make breast cancer surgery less invasive and more effective, and reduce the risk of cancer spreading to other parts of the body.
Around 80% of breast cancers depend on the hormone oestrogen t
Trained eyes needed to spot small cancers, blood clots and aneurysms early
Nearly half of all patients who get their hearts scanned with a high-speed CT scanner may get a shocking surprise: a diagnosis of a serious problem that has nothing to do with their heart. New research from the University of Michigan shows that 43 of 98 patients who had a CT heart scan to look for clogged arteries were also found to have significant or potentially significant signs of problems with their
Routinely reformatting computed tomography (CT) scans to view organs from several different directions may help radiologists improve diagnosis, according to new research from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. The results are being presented this week at the American Roentgen Ray Society meeting in New Orleans, La.
“You can see things in one view that you might miss in another,” said Craig Barnes, M.D., section head of pediatric radiology at Wake Forest Baptist
Those considered high-risk for melanoma – the most dangerous form of skin cancer – are no more likely to sunbathe protected than those who are unaware of their risk, according to a new study conducted by MUHC researchers. The study, published in the Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, examined the behaviour of melanoma patients in order to assess the efficacy of sun-awareness and protection campaigns. “Patients with a personal or family history of melanoma, or that burn eas
An article in The Journal of Physiology presents important research showing that events before birth can permanently change patterns of appetite and fat deposition in child and adult life.
A collaborative effort headed by Prof I. C. McMillen, of the Centre for the Early Origins of Adult Health at the University of Adelaide, Australia, and Dr C. L. Adam of The Energy Balance and Obesity Division of the Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, is shedding new light on potential cause
Cardiovascular risk factors appear to indicate deteriorating renal function in all adults. Researchers discovered various indicators of heart or vascular disease can signal that kidney function is on the decline in the general population, as just published in the May issue of Kidney International.
While generalized atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries and blood vessels) has been increasingly recognized as a cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), a recent study of over 8,50
A fully digital 4D ultrasound system is set to provide a ‘next generation’ integrated solution for medical imaging applications, allowing practitioners to provide faster treatment and improve therapeutic success rates.
Developed by ADUMS, an IST-funded project that ended in April 2005, the advanced high-quality imaging system will significantly reduce diagnostic time. In addition, the technology uses off-the-shelf computer hardware, making it a much cheaper alternative to expe
Obesity is one of the biggest threats to child health. Genetics, decreases in physical activity, increases in television watching, and consumption of fast food are factors that have led to an increase of childhood obesity in the United States. Excessive consumption of sugar sweetened drinks may also be a key factor. A commentary in the May issue of The Journal of Pediatrics reviews prior research to provide perspective about the role of soft drinks in childhood obesity.
Robert
Medical researchers are using satellites to track massive dust storms blowing across Africa’s Sahel belt. The aim is to learn more about lethal meningitis epidemics that often follow in the dust’s wake.
“Meningitis outbreaks take place after a period without rain, low humidity and lots of dust in the air,” explained Isabelle Jeanne of the Niger-based Centre de Recherche Médicale et Sanitaire (CERMES), associated with the international network des Instituts Pasteur and a
Where fat comes from determines whether the body can metabolize it effectively. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that the “old” fat stored in the body’s peripheral tissues — that is, around the belly, thighs or bottom — can’t be burned efficiently unless “new” fat is eaten in the diet or made in the liver.
The research team developed genetically engineered mice missing an important fat synthesizing enzyme in the liver. As
Technology developed at UC Davis may be gentler, more accurate than mammography
A new breast screening technology that may be able to detect tumors earlier than mammography — without the need for uncomfortable breast compression — is being tested in patients at the University of California, Davis, Medical Center. Developed at UC Davis, the machine is the first breast CT to reach clinical testing in a generation. An early prototype was tested in the 1970s, but abandoned as im
Obesity rates are continuing to rise among both children and adults worldwide. Obesity is a risk factor for development of a variety of complications, including type 2 diabetes, and an increase in the rates of such obesity-associated diseases has been seen among adults. However, a review article in the May issue of The Journal of Pediatrics reports that the rate of type 2 diabetes among children worldwide also appears to have increased significantly over the last 15 years.
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The University Hospital of the University of Navarra has carried out a complicated surgical operation on a child who had a particularly large benign tumour located in the mandibular region. The procedure involved the extraction of the lower jaw and its substitution by a bone transplant from the fibula of the patient.
The pathology, known as cherubism or familial fibrous dysplasia of the jaws, is a fairly rare condition (although not unheard of) and congenital. It shows itself
A ‘polypill’ made up of a combination of drugs could extend the lives of thousands of patients with coronary heart disease, say researchers at The University of Nottingham.
The study, published in the latest British Medical Journal, found that combinations of cholesterol lowering drugs (statins), aspirin and beta-blockers, which lower blood pressure, improve survival rates in high-risk patients with cardiovascular disease.
However, despite proposals in the past that these d
Study finds men who consume more dairy products have lower incidence of diabetes
The consumption of low-fat dairy foods may reduce men’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study in the May 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. The report from researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) – the first large-scale, prospective examination of a relationship between dairy intake an
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