Education :: Physical education class more effective
A new approach to traditional high school gym class dramatically increases how often teens exercise outside of school.
Health
Plantar Fasciitis :: New stretch relieves pain from plantar fasciitis
A new stretch is proving quite effective to help treat and potentially cure plantar fasciitis, a condition that affects nearly 2.5 million Americans each year. In a study recently published in Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, researchers found that patients suffering from the painful heel spur syndrome had a 75 percent chance of having no pain and returning to full activity within three to six months of performing the stretch. In addition, patients have about a 75 percent chance of needing no further treatment.
Eyes :: Pakistani women 30 percent more likely to be blind than men
The odds of a woman in Pakistan being blind are 30 percent higher than for a Pakistani man according to a new survey published in the November 2006 issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (IOVS).
Immunity :: Interaction between lymph and liver cells may affect immune response
A new study on the ability of liver cells to interact with T cells (lymph cells that play a role in regulating the immune response) found that such interactions do occur and demonstrated the mechanism by which they may take place. The results may help explain the altered immune responses that occur with aging and other conditions and may be useful in developing therapies for viral hepatitis and autoimmune diseases.
Health :: Researchers turn cord blood into lung cells
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have, for the first time, coaxed umbilical cord blood stem cells to differentiate into a type of lung cell.
Dementia :: New dementia screening tool detects early cognitive problems
A screening tool for dementia developed by Saint Louis University geriatricians appears to work better in identifying mild cognitive problems in the elderly than the commonly used Mini Mental Status Examination, according to a new study.
Hepatitis :: Patients who recover from hepatitis C have lower risk of reinfection
A new study found that individuals who had tested positive for hepatitis C (HCV) but later tested negative for the virus were significantly less likely to become infected again compared to those who had never been infected, even though they had the same exposure risks.
Pregnancy :: New study finds amniocentesis safer for pregnant women
Amniocentesis is the most commonly prescribed invasive test performed during pregnancies in the United States. Most women fear them while doctors recommend them based on guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. These guidelines stem from past research studies and recommendations by the CDC that were based only on maternal age.
Cancer :: Childhood cancer survivors treated with radiation face increased risk of tumors later in life
University of Minnesota cancer researchers found that children who received radiation treatment for cancer face an increased risk for brain and spinal column tumors later in life. The study will be published in the Nov. 1, 2006, issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Health :: Predicting PET Imaging’s Future: Diagnosing and Treating Diseases ASAP
Breakthroughs in Sensitivity and Resolution Benefit Patients, Fundamentally Change How Doctors Will Diagnose and Treat Cancer and Heart, Brain Diseases, Notes Article in November Journal of Nuclear Medicine – Imagine a new world of detecting and diagnosing diseases sooner?even before any symptoms are present. Consider the possibility of receiving individualized, targeted molecular, cellular or genetic medical treatment as soon as possible and of undergoing scanning that can quickly tell your doctor whether your treatment is working. Continued advances in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging are key to this future, according to Simon R. Cherry, professor of biomedical engineering at the University of California, Davis.