Research

Paper handkerchief technology

The Europe-wide research by Westminster University, England and T.Ü.V. Rhineland, Germany, has proved the advantages of hand wiping with paper rather than with textiles or warm air.

Bone marrow cells given gene therapy 'shield'

Radiotherapy affects bone marrow cells, lowering production of white blood cells. New research, published in The Journal of Gene Medicine, suggests that pre-treatment with a gene therapy 'shield' could defend healthy bone marrow cells.

Intergroup Exemestane Study (IES) results

Currently, five years of treatment with tamoxifen is considered the 'gold-standard' treatment for postmenopausal women with breast cancer. This drug blocks oestrogen, which can help fuel the growth of tumours in some cases.

The transcatheter paediatric heart valve

Many companies are competing to develop the ideal transcatheter heart valve and catheter-based valve replacement procedures, which are revolutionizing valve replacement for larger patients.

Small wireless device to improve cancer treatment

USA - Engineers are developing a tiny wireless device - the size of a rice grain - to be implanted in tumours to indicate the precise radiation dose received and to locate the exact position of tumours during treatment.

Prenatal stem cell therapy

While today prenatal diagnostics provides a wide range of possibilities, prenatal therapy is still rather limited.

Donation to Swedish Brain Foundation gains research funds

Sweden - The Swedish Brain Foundation has received a donation of SEK 250 thousand (approximately e27,593) to support advanced research and development, from GE Healthcare, based in Uppsala.

Measuring oxygen uptake

USA - A satellite symposium will be provided at the 53rd ACSM Annual meeting in Denver, Colorado (30 May) by VIASYS Healthcare Inc. and the American College of Sports & Medicine.

Life-long learning

The case for structured training, board certification and revalidation*

Robot navigates catheter to correct atrial fibrillation

Italy - A remotely-controlled catheter device guided by magnetic fields provides a safe and practical method for delivering radio frequency ablation treatment in the hearts of patients with atrial fibrillation, according to a new study (Pub: Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 4/4/06).

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.

SARS no longer deadly threat - But avian flu is

USA - Scientists are confident that the virus that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is no longer circulating in humans, or other animals, according to Professor Kathryn Holmes, a microbiology expert at the University of Colorado, USA.

Paediatrician is European of the Year

Russia - Leonid Roshal, 71, paediatrician and head of the Moscow Scientific Research Institute for Emergency Children's Surgery and Traumatology, has received the Reader's Digest European of the Year Award 2005 for his tireless and dedicated work helping children who have been injured in disasters and conflicts around the world.

Sleep apnoea study may alter stroke management

Spain - New research suggests that sleep apnoea is a new risk factor for death from stroke.

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.

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.

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.

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.

'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).

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.

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.

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.