Little is known about socioeconomic differences in access to life-saving obstetric surgery, yet access to a caesarean for women is essential to achieve low levels of maternal mortality. “We examined population-based caesarean rates by socioeconomic groups in various developing countries” Carine Ronsmans PhD.
Diabetes is a growing health problem. Giving antioxidants is recognised as one way of helping people with diabetes to control their blood sugar levels. The herbal medicine extracted from seeds of the Milk Thistle, Silybum marianum (silymarin) is known to have antioxidant properties and research published this week in Phytotherapy Research shows that this extract can help people significantly lower the amount of sugar bound to haemoglobin in blood, as well as reducing fasting blood sugar levels.
A test using cultured cells provides an effective way to screen drugs against Huntington’s disease and shows that two compounds ? memantine and riluzole ? are most effective at keeping cells alive under conditions that mimic the disorder, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report.
An ancient spice, long used in traditional Asian medicine, may hold promise for the prevention of both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, according to a recently completed study at The University of Arizona College of Medicine. Turmeric, the spice that flavors and gives its yellow color to many curries and other foods, has been used for centuries by practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammatory disorders. Turmeric extract containing the ingredient curcumin is marketed widely in the Western world as a dietary supplement for the treatment and prevention of a variety of disorders, including arthritis.
Osteoarthritis (OA) has a major impact on patients’ mobility and quality of life but the anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat it are associated with a number of side effects. In recent years, patients have turned increasingly to acupuncture to relieve the chronic pain associated with OA. A new study published in the November 2006 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism examined the use of acupuncture as an extension of routine medical care and whether the effects of treatment last after therapy is discontinued.
More than 40 percent of arthritis sufferers in the U.S. report using complementary and alternative medicine, including dietary supplements, and the use of alternative remedies has increased since the FDA issued health warnings about anti-inflammatory drugs such as Celebrex. However, the effectiveness of many supplement ingredients has not been adequately studied. To complicate the matter, over-the-counter supplements are not regulated in the same way as drugs and their composition can vary widely. A new study published in the November 2006 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism examined the effect and mechanism of turmeric (a botanical supplement long thought to have anti-inflammatory properties) on arthritis.
The employee health department at Penn State Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine plans several campus-wide vaccination days for any employee interested in receiving the flu shot. Vaccines will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis, starting Oct. 30.
A light-emitting patch invented by British scientists could lead to home treatment for skin cancer patients.
Brent geese are returning to estuaries and harbours along the East and South coasts. They have flown here from Siberia, so they are under suspicion of carrying bird flu, but there is no serious evidence that they might bring it with them — The Times.
GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK.L: Quote, Profile, Research) is in talks with the British government about a nationwide bird flu vaccination after signing a similar deal with Singapore, the Times newspaper reported.