Electroporation
The function of cell membrane is to maintain the stability of a cell's interior by regulating the amounts and types of molecules entering or leaving the cell.
Sleep apnoea study may alter stroke management
Spain - New research suggests that sleep apnoea is a new risk factor for death from stroke.
Tuberculosis blood test gains EU approval
TB causes three million deaths annually, ranking it higher than any other infectious disease. And TB has resurged in Europe. In August, the British Thoracic Society, British Lung Foundation and TB Alert highlighted its increase in over the last 15 years in the UK alone.
Viagra tested on Everest
Sildenafil, an active agent used in the impotence drug Viagra, has been administered to seven young mountaineers on an Everest expedition, to test its effect on the lungs. Seven other men on the expedition are receiving a placebo.
Mobile test detects infarction in minutes
The earlier a cardiac infarction is detected the better the patient's chances of survival. However, because tests for cardiac infarction check for protein molecules that are released from heart muscle during cell necrosis, and these enter the blood very slowly, it can take three hours to gain a reliable result.
Alcohol ups colon cancer risk
Denmark - Regular drinkers significantly increase their risk of rectal cancer, but that risk is reduced if wine makes up a third or more of weekly consumption, according to research carried out by Professor Morten Grønbaek, at the Centre for Alcohol Research, National Institute of Public Health, Copenhagen, published in the journal GUT.
High-cal intake: Hope for bowel cancer?
France - Less than 50% of those affected by bowel cancer survive beyond five years after diagnosis. However, new research* surprisingly suggests that a high calorie diet may increase chances of survival for longer.
Spinal cord repair: pilot trials within sight
Injury to the brain and spinal cord cause permanent damage because, unlike bone and skin tissues, they lose the ability to repair themselves soon after birth.
Titanised ilicone breast implants
Implants presently in use consist of a smooth or textured silicone shell filled with a silicone gel or saline solution. The latter has one decisive drawback - the breast may cool considerably in winter. Smooth silicone implants may also shift or turn.
The high cost of bipolar disorder
The most expensive behavioural healthcare diagnosis, for sufferers and their insurers, is bipolar disorder, according to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry (160:1286-1290, July 2003).
'Polypill' cuts cardiac attacks by 80%
A newly invented 'Polypill', composed of currently available drugs, may act as a 'vaccine' against heart disease, according to new research published in the British Medical Journal (28 June. BMJ 2003;326:1419).
Telemedicine and medical insurance
The European Health Telematics Association's (EHTEL) white paper and action plan for 2002-2003 states that without the creation of reimbursement processes and a regulatory framework for healthcare telematics the market for such devices will never grow.
Airline tests in-flight telemedicine
Lufthansa - the first airline company to offer high-speed broadband internet connection for data transmission - has used the trial phase of its new in-flight internet service, Lufthansa FlyNet, to test telemedicine potential on board.
Minimally invasive endoprosthetics
Early in the history of endoprosthetic hip and knee joint replacements almost exclusively had cement fixations. Now the objective is to replace only the areas of joints actually affected by arthritis and which cause a patient pain.
Wheelchair guidance by facial movements
Visual interfaces facilitate natural and simple interfaces for human-robot interaction. Nowadays there are many applications using these, such as teleconferencing with improved visual sensation, virtual reality systems, lip readers, assistance for mobility assistance for the disabled, etc. The use of head movements and gestures offers a natural way for severely disabled people, who cannot use a…
Hormone-resistant prostate cancer
Prostate cancer, the most common neoplasm in men, often progresses from an androgen-dependant state (and is commonly treated by androgen ablation therapies) to a hormone-refractory stage, therefore making hormone therapy ineffective. The response duration to androgen ablation therapy is finite and ultimately most prostate cancer will become hormone-insensitive.
Earlier diagnosis for Alzheimer's
Christopher Pryce, PhD, describes a promising test that can predict the onset of Alzheimer's disease some two years earlier than currently available tests can determine. Furthermore, the test can be used in non-human primates in order to research the neurobiology and pharmacology of such neurodegenerative illnesses. Dr. Pryce is conducting preclinical research with this test together with…
Precision radio therapy
Professor Wolfgang Schlegel, Head of the Department of Medical Physics at the German Cancer Research Centre, has been awarded the 2003 clinical section of the German Cancer Award, for significantly improving the precision with which radiation beams can be directed at a tumour.
Article • Cerebral insights
The brain: mysterious grey matter
More than 80 billion neurons, trillions of synapses and almost 6 kilometres of neural pathways: The brain is an anatomical masterpiece – and still puzzles science. Keep reading to find out about latest research and therapies of brain diseases.
Article • Focus topic
Alzheimer's disease: Demystifying dementia
Alzheimer's disease is probably the best-known form of neurodegenerative disease, which is usually characterised by a progressive loss of cognitive, emotional and social abilities. But what actually happens in the brain? Read more about current research and therapeutic approaches to this form of dementia.
Article • Focus topic
Multiple sclerosis (MS): one disease, many faces
Many different forms, unclear origins: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological diseases that often leads to disability in those affected. Read more about current research and therapeutic approaches to MS.